Different Eyes
by SweetAngels123
Summary: Because perhaps if Arthur could see it from a different perspective then he would understand why.
1. Beginnings

_A/N So I'm super nervous about this because it's my first venture into the Merlin fandom but it's an idea that's been floating around in my head since i first started watching Merlin and i decided to role with it, this will be a rather long fic if I'm estimating right and as long as i don't decide on any sudden plot twists then this should be around 62 chapters. Yeah i know but if nothing else it'll be a fun ride right? Translations for spells and one sentence Zeal says will be at the bottom._

_I try to catch all mistakes but I'm not perfect so if you find one tell me and I'll fix it!_

* * *

"Go!"

"What? Arthur I'm sorry—"

"You've lied to me! I should have you —"

"I couldn't tell you Arthur it—"

"It what? You have no excuse Merlin, no—"

"I wanted to Arthur! It hurt to keep a secret like this from a frien—"

"Friend? Ha, I don't think we ever were friends if this incident is anything to go from. You're a monster, Merlin!"

Merlin slumped his chin hitting his chest, the perfect submissive servant and Arthur almost laughs, who knew little farm boy Merlin who couldn't lie to save his life could hide something like this? Hide something so big.

And Arthur had been betrayed by magic before, had been manhandled and threatened and he couldn't let this stand.

"What will you do with me now, Sire?"

Arthur swallows thickly, the only thing he can do at this point, magic was evil and it had been sitting right under his nose all this time, a viper waiting to strike, vipers were poisonous and dangerous and had to be eliminated at all costs.

"You'll be executed at sunset within a week's time."

Merlin merely nodded his eyes never leaving the floor.

* * *

Abiageal was thirty and the mother of twins. A little girl with unruly red hair and crystal like green eyes and a little boy with his father's brown hair and brown eyes, they were nine and beautiful, their mothers pride and joy.

"Aetnat! Zeal! Dinner!"

From the north side of the camp she could hear her children arguing as they approached her.

"What makes you think that they'd win Zeal? I'm just as good as fighter if not better, they're bullies, and it's not fair!"

They had this argument often and Abiageal knew it by heart, her daughter hated the way the other children acted around her since the accident that had blinded her four years ago.

Aetnat was brave about it and didn't let it get to her, but there were people who thought less of her and her future now, and Aetnat, who was every bit as stubborn as her father and as hotheaded as her mother, couldn't stand it.

She was frequently coming home with scraped knuckles, a big grin, and her little stick tip tapping in front of her, her brother dragging his feet behind her. That was when Zeal — her wonderful, levelheaded, kind, boy — couldn't stop her, but today hadn't been one of those days and she smiled, a sigh of relief emptying her of the air she had been holding.

"Zeal, Aetnat, hurry now!"

"It's not fair your right but you can't go starting fights whenever you feel like it, no wonder they call you 'sí a dhéanann dtrioblóid' sister you're trouble!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!

"Am no—"

"That's enough now come eat; god knows you two must be hungry, why didn't you come home for lunch?"

"Gina had us over to her house Mum."

Her sons ears were burning red, Abiageal raised an eyebrow interesting; it would appear her son had a crush on Gweth's daughter.

"It was horrible Mum, why do people have to be so—so pigheaded, I'm not an invalid and Ze' only made it worse making googley eyes at Gina the whole time, I don't even think he looked away from her long enough to eat, it was nauseatin—"

"You can't even see!"

Aetnat set her spoon back in her bowel of stew; she turned her head up in the air, red curls bouncing.

"Oh Gina you're so pretty, Gina I love you, Gina you smell so nice, Gina, Gina, Gina—it was disgusting Ze', you need to work on not projecting your thoughts because if I have to put up with this much longer I'm going to kill you!"

"Aetnat! That was uncalled for, you don't say such things, apologize!"

"Mum—"

"Now!"

"Sorry Zeal."

"Thank you, now Zeal is what your sister says true?"

"I might have been — that is it's a possibility that I was — but not as much as Aetnat says I was."

Abiageal nodded before speaking gently.

"You need to work on that my love."

Zeal nodded.

"Now finish eating, it's getting dark and it's time for bed."

The two children nod digging back into their stew.

* * *

_Aetnat looked around._

_She was in a castle in what appeared to be the empty dungeons. It was quiet except for the dripping of water and the sound of falling rock. She frowned._

_She was used to the visions. Even welcomed them, because in them she could actually see, but usually they were about something important – something she needed to know – but for the life of her she couldn't understand why these empty dungeons were important._

_She moved out of the way as a woman rushed down the stairs her yellow dress fluttering up around her heels. The woman was sobbing and Aetnat frowned._

_Perhaps the dungeons weren't empty after all._

_Following the woman she found herself slipping threw an iron door and then she was in a different part of the dungeons. Aetnat's heart sunk, she could feel — even in this state — the way the stone seemed to block her magic. This part of the dungeons was meant to contain a sorcerer or sorceress._

_She prayed she was not going to have to watch an execution._

_The woman in yellow was kneeling by the final cell on the right, and Aetnat jogged up behind her kneeling down she frowned. There was someone in there, but she couldn't see a face with the way that the cell cast shadows. All she could see were booted feet._

_Why did she need to see this?_

_"Merlin is it true?"_

_"Depends on what you're asking?"_

_"Is it true that you're a sorcerer?"_

_"Warlock actually, but yeah."_

_The woman sobbed._

_"Why Merlin? Especially after Morgana, how could you?"_

_"I was born with it Gwen, I've never had a choice, but I'm not sorry for having it, I've tried to use it for good and I've saved people, it's a gift Gwen and I know everyone here in Camelot has been taught that magic is evil but it's not, people are evil, magic is merely a tool that can be wielded for good or bad."_

_She — Gwen apparently — sobbed._

_"Why didn't you tell me?"_

_"I couldn't Gwen its dangerous enough for me to even be here, I couldn't involve any more people, Gaius is bad enough, besides you have a great destiny ahead of you Gwen you shouldn't be dragged down with me, you're a queen now."_

_"Merlin, I'll talk to Arthur, you'll be fine we'll get you out of here, okay?"_

_"No don't Gwen, its okay."_

_"He's going to kill you!"_

_"I know, and its okay,the laws the law."_

_"The laws wrong!"_

_"Maybe – " there was the sound of shuffling and then the man shuffled into the light, his face was haggard and smudged with dirt but Aetnat recognized the face, her stomach dropped and she shook her head in denial._

_" – maybe your right Gwen, but in any case you need to go you can't stay down here too long it's not safe. Go, Arthur will be looking for you."_

_She nodded wiping the corners of her eyes with the cloth of her dress._

_"I'll find a way to save you Merlin."_

_Then she was gone and Aetnat watched as Emrys sunk back against the wall silent tears falling down his cheeks._

_Aetnat sat up with a gasp._

* * *

_Zeal sighed._

_Tonight wouldn't be a normal dream then. He sighed again, he was in what appeared to be a bedroom, adorned in gold and red, Pendragon colors, he frowned. Why was he in Camelot, scratch that why was he in what appeared to be royal chambers?_

_The door was thrown open with a bang. A blonde man that Zeal recognized as the King and a dark haired dark skinned woman that he recognized as his queen from previous visions stormed into the room their feet echoing off the stone of the floor._

_"Arthur, it's not too late, you can stop this!"_

_"Merlin is not_ _above the law, and the law clearly states that the punishment for sorcery is death. Death Gwen, he has to die and the sooner you accept that the better!"_

_"Arthur! He's your friend, how can you send him to his death, how can you watch that?"_

_"He's not my friend, he lied to me!"_

_"Because you'd react like this!"_

_"He's probably tired to kill me more times than I can count!"_

_"Do you really believe that? Really? Are we talking about the same Merlin that drank poison for you within months of arriving in Camelot, the same Merlin who jumped in front of a Dorocha for you, that would die for you given the chance?"_

_"He's not the same!"_

_"He is Arthur, he is, he's still our Merlin, our Merlin that you've sentenced to death."_

_The king looked down blonde hair falling down to shield his eyes for a moment before he looked up steel in his eyes._

_"I can't Gwen I'm sorry, I can't, I have to go, its time."_

_The queen nodded and sobbed before composing herself. The least she could do was be there, if not for Merlin in his final moments then for her husband. Arthur bent down and kissed her forehead before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leading her out of the room._

_Zeal hurried after him trying to keep sight of the red of the King's cloak and the blue of the Queen's dress._

_They turned into a corridor that ended in a balcony and Zeal swallowed hard, he could see the raised platform. He was going to have to watch an execution. He watched from the queen's side as a man was led out from the castle in chains._

_The executioner forced the man down onto his knees as he pushed his head down onto the block. The queen sobbed quietly._

_"Merlin is found guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. I, Arthur Pendragon just like my father before me believes such practices to be dangerous and illegal. I try to be a fair king but as it is the laws of Camelot see only one punishment for sorcery, death."_

_Zeal's heart pounded._

_The executioner raised his blade –_

_Thu-thump, Thu-thump–_

_He brought it down with a solid swing, dislodging the head from the body –_

_Thu-thump –_

_The head rolled until it landed at the foot of the steps, blue eyes staring up into nothing, black hair askew –_

_Thu-thump, thu-thump thu-thump –_

_Zeal knew that face-_

_Thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump -_

"Emrys!"

Zeal sat up in a flash and was on his feet in seconds. Only to nearly knock over a severely shaken up Aetnat. He reached out his arms out steadying the shivering and whimpering girl.

"Zeal did you –"

"See Emrys? Yeah."

His sister whimpered again and Zeal wrapped his arms tightly around his sister, before bringing them down to sit on the floor.

"He can't die though? Can he? The prophecies said! They said Emrys would save us, said he would always be here to save us!"

"The prophecies have been wrong before, or they've changed. Maybe - maybe, he can."

It was silent for a moment and then:

"What are we gonna' do?"

"What can we do?"

It was quiet for a moment.

"If we could only show the king all that Emrys's has done for him, then maybe he would see that Emrys isn't evil…"

"Aetnat you're a genius!"

"What?"

"I know what we're going to do!"

"What?"

"Never mind just put your hand on mine; I'll need your magic to help me cast the spell!"

Aetnat's brow furrowed but she lay her hand down on the ground palm up as Zeal covered it with his own. Zeal concentrated on the blonde man – King Arthur – and then he focused on the dark haired man that he knew as Emrys and then with a curl of his lips he spoke.

"Athrú an dearcadh, a athrú de, féach cad tá tú caillte roimh!"

* * *

Language: Irish

Translations:

sí a dhéanann dtrioblóid - she who makes trouble  
athrú an dearcadh, a athrú de, féach cad tá tú caillte roimh - change of attitude, change of view, see what you have missed before

I heard people in the Merlin fandom review twice as much as anyone else in any other fandom! Don't disprove this statement or your poor fanfic writer might cry. LOL probably not - that is i won't cry, probably - but seriously review i love getting feedback!


	2. 0 to 6 in a blink

_**A/N Holy Crap thank you all, your amazing I've never gotten this much feedback within a day. Seriously eight reviews, three favorites, and eight followers! I love you all already. Thank you Ruby890, 04, Nameless Secret Keeper and Daily-chan for their reviews the rest of you were anoymous but still THANK YOU! I'll respond to your reviews at the bottom along with some final notes.**_

* * *

Arthur opened his eyes to a dark night. Looking around he frowned, this wasn't his bedroom, and this wasn't where he fell asleep. He was in what appeared to be the town square of Ealdor that was alight with fires and the sound of galloping hooves.

Except he hadn't been in Ealdor when he fell asleep. He hadn't been in what appeared for all purposes to be a witch hunt either.

"Balinor you do not have to go!"

"Hunith it's not safe!"

"But it's safe to leave? I do not believe that Balinor, you can not fool me, you're as safe with me as you would be out there!"

Arthur quickened his steps, he knew that voice, Hunith perhaps she could explain this – anomaly, as to why he was here in Ealdor instead of back at home in his bed with Gwen sleeping beside him. Turning around the corner he blinked.

Well this was awkward.

Hunith pulled away, her mouth only inches from the man's, their breathes intermingling in a cloud of white. She raised a hand and brushed a lock of dark hair away from the man's face, Arthur could see the tears glistening in her eyes.

"Balinor, please I don't want you to go, I need you! We have a life, we can have a family – please do not go!"

The man's wild features softened an almost tender look flashing across his face as his hands stroked a piece of hair away from her forehead, fingers playing with the dark brown strand. He placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I have to go it's not safe for you. I love you Hunith but it's not safe for us to be together now – all those knights that set those fires? They were looking for me and I can't endanger you anymore, I'm sorry I have to go."

The man bent down his forehead gently bumping Hunith's, he smiled and placed a final kiss on her forehead before turning and disappeared, the black of the mare he was riding blending in with the dark of the night.

Hunith fell to her knees clutching at a small pendant around her neck, sobbing. Arthur frowned and knelt down next to the women.

"Hunith?"

No response. He tried again.

"Hunith?"

She was crying, perhaps she was too distraught to hear him; he tried again this time laying a hand on her shoulder only for it to just slip through. He sat back reeling, what in the god's was going on? This was not right, what was going on?

Hunith sobbed.

"Balinor...don't go I'm pregnant, we're gonna have a baby!"

Balinor….why did that name sound so _familiar_ to Arthur?

She sobbed again and then the scene dissolved – it's the only thing Arthur can find to describe it as the area lost color and rapidly shifted – and came back, shifting again rapidly. Around the third scene he realized that what he was seeing was either a) a fever induced nightmare, or b) were memories and that he had been put under a spell.

Probably by Merlin, Arthur felt his temper rise at that, didn't the idiot know better, he would only make it worse for himself, right now he was only facing execution but for placing a spell on the king? He would face torture as well.

Merlin, Arthur decides is an idiot, a lying, backstabbing, spell casting idiot.

How was he _even_ doing magic from _inside_ _those dungeons_? They're _supposed_ to block the magic from the sorcerer so that they can't cast anything. Arthur pondered this as the scene shifted again and Arthur found himself standing in Hunith's home as Hunith sat up in bed a small bundle of blankets in her arms.

"Hunith."

The woman looked up, face sweaty, with hair plastered to her forehead but she was grinning only for the grin to fall when she saw the look on the midwife's face.

"Hunith the child – he's not crying, he does not make a sound, he does not move."

"But he breathes."

"Yes, but for how long? I would suggest – do not name him, it will only make it harder."

Hunith's face crumples and she pulls her knees closer to her chest until the small bundle of blankets was barely visible, Arthur creeps foreword unsure of what he was seeing, was this Merlin's birth? Or did Merlin have a sibling that did not survive infanthood?

If so why was it so important that he see it?

"You want me to give up on him?"

"Not necessarily but the child – Hunith some babes simply do not make it, it's not your fault."

Hunith looked up then.

"Thank you Liza' but please – go."

The woman nodded she grabbed an extra blanket from the back of a chair and wrapped it around Hunith's shoulders before leaving. Hunith shifted her hair out of her face and gently pulled back the blankets so the child's face was in clear few.

"Hey there little man it's your mum, don't listen to Liza' she thinks in facts but we both know that facts aren't always relevant."

She swiped a hand over his head and Arthur watched as little downy black curls shifted through her fingers. She kissed his nose and his forehead then his ten fingers and ten toes; all the while the child did not move, nor cry.

Hunith took to rocking him.

Her voice shook as she sung an old lullaby that Arthur remembered nursemaids singing to him when he woke from a nightmare as a child – except they hadn't been able to sing it this way, the way that Hunith was singing to the little child.

Love, he thinks is what was missing from their song.

Hunith keeps singing until her voice goes and then she simply sits rocking the child back and forth well into the morning hours until finally at first light she sobbed and Arthur tensed, had the child passed? But no, the child's chest still rose and fell.

"My little boy, you need to wake up now, sleeping time is over, and you need to wake and eat, come on, up!"

The child didn't stir.

"Please…please baby, wake up, mummy needs you, mummy loves you, come on, up!"

Hunith waited a moment and then sobbed again but this time Arthur could hear the laughter. Stepping forward he lent his head over the young mothers shoulder to stare into small golden eyes as small hands raised up in the air, golden sparks flying from tiny fingertips.

Arthur stilled, Gwen had mentioned that Merlin – because it was indeed Merlin, with the babe's black hair and molten gold eyes – had said he was born with magic, that he had never made the decision to learn, but this? Merlin had been doing magic _before_ he was two days old.

_That _was a scary thought.

"You have eyes like a _falcon_ when you're doing your magic _huh_? Just like your daddy. Well then how about we name you Gawain?"

The baby blinked, eyes now an electric blue that was startling on an infant. The child's face scrunched up, tiny nose wrinkling and let out a wail. Hunith for her part took it in stride, merely shifting the child and gently rocking him back and forth.

"Horus?"

The child still wailed.

"Seaghdha?"

No change.

"Merlin?"

The baby stilled and gurgled against her breast and Hunith laughed.

"Well then Merlin, I do believe you will be the only babe that has ever picked his own name, aren't you special? But I always knew you would be, how could you not be with Balinor's blood in you?"

She sighed.

However, you won't have it easy will you? With this magic in you? But don't worry tiny love, we'll figure it out, no matter what Uther Pendragon says you aren't a monster. I'll protect you, I'm your mum it's my job. Now come, you must be hungry?"

Arthur turned away cheeks blaring as he heard the child begin to suckle. He was relieved when he felt the scene change and he turned around again. Hunith was a few years older now, and a small Merlin sat in her lap as she ran a brush through his raven curls

"But mum it's not fair why can't I?"

Hunith sighed.

"What happened today_ can't_ happen again you _can't_ show anybody Merlin!"

"But why? You always tell me my magic is a talent, a gift even, but aren't gifts and talents supposed to be shared? Why do I have to hide it, I'm good at it Mum! I saved her today that cart would have hurt her!"

Hunith sighed again.

"I know my love, I know…but Merlin it's not safe for you to be doing magic out in the open like that. If someone saw you it could mean your life."

"Why would they kill me Mum? I haven't hurt anybody, I'm good, I do my chores and I'm nice to Will even when he's being a prat – I thought only bad people, people who hurt people were killed for their crimes."

Hunith looked at him her eyes watering.

"Merlin – the world we live in – something happened once to the king of Camelot that turned him bitter towards people who practiced magic. The king decided that magic had to be abolished and he managed to convince the other rulers like our king – Cenred. Merlin, i know how much you hate hiding your magic but it could mean your life if you don't."

"What happened?"

Hunith paused, because of course Merlin would want to know why someone would make that kind of decision, she pierced her lips.

"He made a deal without knowing the full consequences and he lost someone he loved very dearly."

"Oh, is that why the villagers say that magic users are monsters?"

Hunith sucked in her breath.

"Who said that?"

"Keith said that his mum and Dad told him that magic users were monsters and that they needed to be killed at all costs – Keith said if he ever see's anyone doing magic he'll kill them."

Hunith sucked in a breathe her face going pale.

"Oh Merlin, you must promise me that you'll be more careful from now on especially around Keith and his family, I don't want to see you hurt."

Merlin nodded.

"I promise mum."

There was a pause and Hunith started to brush Merlin's hair again until the curls had been brushed through and the brush slid through with ease, and then she sat the brush down on a side table smiling slightly as she saw Merlin's drooping eyelids and tiny yawn.

"There all done, now come let's get you ready for bed."

Merlin nodded and Arthur followed the tiny Merlin into what appeared to be a bedroom, Hunith helped him out of his clothes and handed him a sleep shirt that Merlin clumsily pulled over his head. With that done she tucked Merlin into bed – a straw mat, a pillow, and two blankets – and kissed his forehead.

She was half way to the door when Merlin spoke.

"Mum?"

"Yes Merlin?"

"Am I a monster?"

"No Merlin_, no. _Never, you'll never be a monster._"_

"Good, I didn't think so. Night mum."

"Goodnight Merlin. I love you."

"Love you too."

Then Hunith was gone. Arthur watched her walk over to a small desk and sit down, pulling a sheet of parchment paper closer she dipped a quill into ink and began to write, over her shoulder Arthur read:

"_Dear Annette,_

_I hope your well and this letter finds you. Things here aren't going well. Merlin is only six and yet his magic grows each day, today he managed to save a little girl from being crushed by a cart simply by raising his hand and glancing at her, the child flew out of the way and landed safely on the other side of the street. Merlin listens well and is incredibly smart for his age and it's rare for him to use magic in public but days like today worry me._

_What if someone saw?_

_What if someone reported him?_

_What if gods forbid he was taken from me to Cenrid's court to be executed?_

_I barely survived Balinor leaving I don't think I could survive losing someone that precious to me again, Merlin didn't seem to understand why it was so important he did not do magic where other people can see and I told him about Uther. Not the full tale of course but I told him enough that he knows Uther is to blame. I know you tell me that he isn't as bad as I think he is but on days like today, when I have to fear for my child's life because he saved someone I can't help but hate him._

_It's sad to think that if Nimueh had explained in full, if Uther hadn't wanted a child so badly, if Ygraine had been able to get pregnant, then perhaps I would have Balinor here with me and perhaps then I wouldn't have to fear for my sons life everyday for simply doing something that is as natural to him as breathing._

_I wish you were here Annette you were always the best cousin a girl could ask for, you always had the best advice. I need your advice again. _

_What should I do Anette? How do I raise a child telling him that he has to hide what he is without making it seem like it's something to be ashamed of? How do I look him in the eye and tell him he has to hide who he is until the day he dies?_

_Do you remember? In our girlhood days, back when this land was something utherworldy and just - free? Do you remember, Mrs Alberts? Remember how she would take us into her home when we were made the butt end of the other girls jokes because of how close we were? Do you remember her tales, of Unicorns and Leprechauns? Do you remember how she would heal the villagers and make stories out of light to make the little ones laugh. Do you remember when she was dragged away to be executed for helping that boy?  
_

_ Do you remember how scared we were, she used to be our hero afterall? Because Anette i do. It's the terror i feel for my child every day, the terror that someday Merlin will be killed.  
_

_I pray that someday magic will be restored to this land; I pray that someday Merlin can be proud of his talents that he will be able to help people and freely do magic without fearing for his life. Someday I pray that this land will be free of the tyranny that has overtaken it._

_I miss you and love you,_

_Hunith._

And then she turned away and cried, and for reasons beyond his comprehension Arthur felt like crying right along with her.

* * *

Merlin is resting against the stone wall when they come to see him, he's been going in and out of consciousness for the last few hours and is exhausted and dizzy the pain barely bearable, he knows his magic is being sucked from him and he knows that he could be dead before his scheduled execution if he doesn't get out of this cell.

He wonders what a better way to die, an executor's axe and having to stand in front of the people he has known for years and that had once trusted him and now might as well hate him, or die slowly and painfully in a cell as his magic is sucked from his very body.

He thinks it's the second option that sounds the best.

They come with shouts and angry cry's and Merlin sits up straight, they unlock the cell and literally drag him down the hallway, Merlin who's still dizzy and vaguely confused doesn't try to struggle until he sees the torture devices that line the walls of the room he had just been brought to.

He nearly screams.

They force him down into a chair, one on either side of him holding him down by his shoulders while two grab his wrists in an iron strong grip. The fifth and six push a table up until it's pushing uncomfortably into his stomach and then they speak.

"What did you do to the king, sorcerer?"

"What?"

He didn't realize he'd spoken out loud until he felt the man's hand on his cheek, snapping his head sideways, Merlin was sure his cheek was already red. He tries again because no matter what he would never do anything to hurt Arthur.

"Arthur? What's wrong with Arthur?"

He earns a slap for that.

"The king still breathes but refuses to wake; I'll repeat what did you do?"

Merlin freezes.

* * *

**_Oh dear..._**

**_So as Arthur has stated the dungeon's Merlin's in are meant to block a person's magic however because Merlin IS magic it's acting differently with him and sucking it out of him instead of blocking it. Merlin does get himself into the worst situations doesn't he? Annette is a lesser known servant that I've created who works in the castle she is Hunith's childhood best friend, cousin, and confident, she will probably only be mentioned and if she does make an appearance it will be briefly  
_**

**_Ruby890: Yes Arthur is being a jerk isn't he? Still i hope to change that. No, as you've seen in this chapter it's just going to be Arthur which is causing some problems for dear Merlin. I hadn't read it before you mentioned it but yes it is quite good it's a pity it hasn't been updated in almost a year. THANK YOU for reviewing!_**

**_Tigertiger: I read your penname as TiggerTigger as in Tigger from Winnie the pooh lol. I hope i didn't disappoint you! Thanks for reviewing!_**

**_04: THANK YOU! Did you like it? Also thanks for the fave!  
_**

**_Nameless Secret Keeper: Glad you liked it and THANK YOU for reviewing. I tried to but i can't promise all updates will be this quick truth is i had this one started before i posted the first chapter and just had to finish it. Thank you also for the watch.  
_**

**_Guest: I'm glad you liked it. I plan to!_**

**_Guest: THANK YOU, is this quick enough? lol_**

**_Reddiamond29: Thank you! I tried to make my OC's original without making them mary-sue's and i tried to make my plot original without sounding too cliche. _**

**_Daily-chan: You were my first reviewer THANK YOU! I hope i have kept your interest with this chapter. Also thank you for the watch!  
_**


	3. 6 to 16 with a sigh

_**A/N Review responses and final notes at the bottom!**_

* * *

It's an hour before Merlin is half carried back to his cell. It's half an hour later that Gwen arrives, Merlin sighs and shuffles towards the front of the cell, because if Arthur was under a spell then Merlin needed to know as much as he could.

He'd tried to get something more than the fact that Arthur wouldn't wake up out of the guards that had tried to – interrogate him but after a while he had stopped trying because he just wanted it to be – over, he sighed and used the bars of the cell to lower himself to the ground as the world tilted on its axis.

This was getting out of hand. He was about to speak but Gwen beat him to it, she spoke in a hurried buzz, her words jumbling together in ways they hadn't in years.

"Arthur will not wake Merlin, I do not know what to do, people fear sorcery and I am inclined to believe them, I know it wasn't you, your reactions yesterday prove that but that leaves the question who did do this?"

It's silent for a moment.

"What can you tell me?"

"Not much. Arthur wouldn't wake this morning, he still breathes but he doesn't move, he just lays there as if he's asleep."

Gwen sounded so helpless that Merlin wished he could hug her. But the best thing he could do right now was to try and figure out what the hell sorcerer the king had pissed off now. He sighed as realization struck he hated asking this of Gwen but the best way he could tell if there was a spell placed on Arthur was if he could actually see Arthur. See if there was some kind of aura or something someone who didn't know _what_ to look for would miss.

"Gwen is there any way I could see Arthur?"

Gwen pierces her lips.

"Yes, but you'll have to hurry. The guards shifts changes in an about half an hour so you'll have to go quick - " she pireced her lips again " - but I can't be traced back to this Merlin you understand that right?"

Merlin nodded, of course she couldn't with Arthur out of commission Camelot needed a ruler they could trust indefinitely, one that was strong and certainly not one that released a man who was considered a prisoner awaiting execution.

With a nod Gwen pulled a key from out of the folds of her dress and hastily handed it to him. He took it and gave her a small smile.

"I'll be able to get the guards away from our chambers for an hour or two but Merlin, I don't know – "

"Thank you."

Gwen smiled slightly.

"_No_, thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, I still haven't figured out what's wrong."

"I know, but you will, thank you Merlin."

Then she was gone, purple velvet trailing behind her, Merlin sighed sliding the key over in his hands, warm medal sliding between his fingers only to be caught in his other hand. It would bloody well hurt but he needed to go now otherwise he would lose his chance.

* * *

Arthur watched as Merlin grew. That's the best way to describe it, because in one memory – because that's what they had to be – he's six and in the next he's twelve. It's strange and frankly a _more_ then a bit disturbing and yet it's _not_ unwelcome either, there were times in the past when he'd wondered about Merlin's roots.

The brief time he'd spent in Ealdor had shown him very little and he'd wondered what kind of town – what kind of people – could shape someone like Merlin, someone that seemed to defy everything Arthur was ever taught.

So he supposed if he couldn't escape the spell then he might as well sit back and enjoy the show.

"It's cold!"

"That's because it's the middle of winter."

"Well why can't winter be warm?"

"Because it's _winter_ Merlin, generally it's cold."

"Prat."

Will laughed and Arthur sighed, they were about sixteen he would guess, and in another two years Will would be dead, and Merlin – Merlin would be devastated, really the way Merlin had looked after Will's death was just – it had hurt to look at him.

Arthur followed behind them as they trekked towards the woods that bordered the town. It was quite except for the sound of the two boys breathe and the dull lull of bird song, finally the two stopped in a clearing and Arthur moved to stand next to the two boys who were currently shading their eyes from the sun

"How are we going to do this?"

"_Well_ you take your axe and you swing at the base of the –"

"I meant how are we going to cut down that beauty – "

Will gestured towards the largest tree in the clearing and Arthur watched alarm flash across Merlin's face.

"- down?"

"It's simple we're not."

"Why _not_? That's enough wood to keep the _whole_ village warm for at least a couple _weeks_, if not a _month_, we'd be doing them all a favor. Aren't you the one that's always complaining about how cold it is?"

"Yeah well, I doubt your mum will thank me when I bring you back crushed to death."

"Lighten up Merlin, it'll be fine."

With that said Will began to hack away at the base of the tree.

* * *

Merlin sighed as he passed through the iron doorway, the headache that had been pounding through his skull lessoned to a manageable level and some of the aches that had been present even before his – interrogation faded away.

He knew he only had a small window of time before a guard came back down, and even then it was a long shot to get up to Arthur and Gwen's chambers without being seen. Idly he wondered why he was doing this for a man who had ordered his execution.

But then he remembered _who_ that man was. _What_ he was – because no matter what Arthur was a _good_ man, he fought for what he believed to be right for his people, and in a world where people only thought about how something would benefit them – well it was a rare and incredible thing.

He truly believed that Arthur was the king of destiny.

Then there was their destiny, something that while Merlin had initially believed in the beginning – well okay not _completely_ but it had been enough – didn't even _matter_ anymore, it didn't. It hadn't been about destiny in a long time.

He sighed and ducked around a corner as a guard passed. Finally after what seemed like ages he came upon the door he was looking for, and relieved that no guards were posted outside – and knowing that none ever would be posted on the _inside_, it had been something Arthur and then Gwen had _always_ been adamant about – he slipped into Arthur and Gwen's chambers silently.

Gwen was sitting in a chair next to the bed, her hands carding through Arthur's light sunny hair. She was whispering to him and Merlin knew he was intruding on a private moment, he briefly considered leaving and entering with a bit more noise but that would be risky, so he simply cleared his throat.

Gwen looked up startled, and then alarm passed over her face and he was being forced down into a chair as Gwen dipped the corner of her dress into a bowel of water, and dabbed at his face, Merlin winced.

"Merlin! What happened to you? You're _covered_ in bruises and you head was _bleeding_! Merlin, what happened?"

"Interrogation…but…didn't you…?"

"NO! Of course I didn't order you to be interrogated Merlin! I ordered no interrogations in fact! You're the only one in the dungeons right now Merlin and I knew it wasn't you! I didn't think they would take it into their own hands! I wish Gaius was here – "

She broke off, and then, "_Oh gods_, here let me –"

She quickly hurries across the room to where he knows Arthur keeps his bandages and ointments – because the prat finally learned to keep some in his room – and Merlin immediately stands he's not up to being fussed over really, he doesn't think there is anything he hates more. Besides while it's painful there is nothing seriously wrong and he has bigger fish to fry.

So it's with Gwen's back turned that he stands and approaches Arthur. Gwen was right he did appear to be sleeping – _except_ there was stillness there as well that was never present before, it was…_unnatural_, especially for Arthur.

If he did not breathe then Merlin would swear him dead.

But he wasn't, and that's what Merlin thought about when his eyes flashed gold. He didn't cast a spell but rather tentatively reached out with his magic feeling around the room, and _yes_ there was a spell on the prince, he could feel it, but the difference was –

The difference, he concluded was that this magic felt – _innocent_ for lack of a better word. It felt like it was cast almost accidentally, without any malicious intent what so ever, but a spell to put someone to sleep like this? It was most always dark magic – and yet Merlin was reminded of his mother once telling him about his earliest feats of magic – and he realized it felt like it was cast by a _child_.

The signature (1) was different too; it seemed to be a mix of magic's, it felt like a blatant contradiction to be perfectly honest. It felt like something hot – he translated that to hot hotheadedness – and cold – a sort of soft determination – there were other things mixed into it as well and Merlin couldn't make sense of this – it was bizarre.

Perhaps –

But no that made little sense!

"This makes no sense…."

Gwen whirled around, and seeing Merlin's gold eyes and honest to god perplexed look, her stomach sinks.

"Merlin…what doesn't make sense?"

He turns his eyes to her, gold and wide and compelling.

"Gwen I_ don't_ – this magic it feels different – I don't, _I don't know if I can fix this!"_

* * *

_Oh dear, oh dear! Silly Merlin let Gwen help you!  
_

_(1) It's my headcanon that all magical creatures have a aura or rather a signature about them. This will become more important later but for now can you **guess** **why**?  
_

_**Spinnerofdark**: Awesome penname! Don't worry i don't plan on killing Merlin, and as for Arthur...well you'll have to see how things turn out for him._

_**Ruby890**: Thank you! I didn't make that very clear did i? Don't worry i haven't made Arthur that cruel, i meant to put a (1) next to it but i never did. Anyway it's not so much Arthur as it's how i believe the system works. It also has to do with a paragraph in my global studies class about medieval torture and reasons for it. It stated that a person put to death could be tortured for merely speaking out against the sentence let alone doing something about it, things are a bit different here but the premise is about the same. I think? lol did that help explain? I want to involve Gwaine, and defiantly Leon but as of yet im not sure how. Thanks again!  
_

_**04**: Yes i imagine he would be, but as you can see Merlin is still kicking although he is still injured and that may play a part in future chapters. I haven't quite decided yet. I plan to keep up with it, there may be time between updates but It's very rare that i abandon a story. Don't worry!  
_

**_Tigertiger: _**_He's __very good he's orange and bouncy lol Thank you!_

_**April20Roses**: Thank you! Indeed he does!  
_

_**daily-chan**: Poor Hunith indeed, i can't imagine what it was like for her, and i think she's one of the characters that needs the most love. I don't know i think he's going to see everything or at least the important parts of each episode, although i'm tempted to skip 'Goblins Gold'. I wanted to do something different and i'm glad to see people like it. Oh Arthur he really needs to stop sleeping on the job, doesn't he? lol  
_

_**Nameless Secret Keeper**: Thank you! Poor Merlin indeed.  
_

_**ARTs ninja pal**: Awesome penname just AWESOME! He needs sooooo many hugs!  
_

_**Mika271170**: THANK YOU SO MUCH!  
_


	4. 16 to 17 in tears

_**A/N: So let's knight the druid boy Arthur, you know the one you saved and is most likely evil. Let's not listen to Merlin when he's been proven right again and again. Really, it's no wonder you are going to be your own downfall, and in the next episode Uther is back. Oh joy this will be a trainwreck. On ice. And yet i wouldn't have Merlin any other way. Final notes and review responses at the bottom!**_

* * *

"Why?"

Her voice is quiet, low, and heartbroken. The bandages and the ointment in her hands falling to the floor in a noisy clatter, she sinks into a chair her head coming to rest in her hands. Merlin almost approaches her, but he doesn't instead he stares down at his feet.

Funny.

The bandages are there, unrolled and pooled into a bundle of egg shell white, the ointments there too, right at his feet.

Except he can't this time.

* * *

It's midday when the old man approaches. Arthur who had been sitting on a rock – he was surprised when he didn't just fall through but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth – perks up the last few hours while – entertaining, had been useless, he wasn't sure why this was important.

Perhaps this was why.

"What are the two of you troublemakers doing?"

Merlin whips around from where he had been working on a smaller tree, and sets his axe down on the ground, he nervously smiles and speaks.

"Oh, Ol – I mean _Simmons_ what are you doing out here – I mean its _cold_. And you're _old_. _Wait!_ I didn't mean that! I mean, don't you usually get your wood from the market?"

"Yes – "

He circled Merlin who had stepped away from the tree and was now in front of Will – who still was hacking away at the base of the tree seemingly oblivious.

"- But I heard you two while out for a walk, and I knew where ever you too go trouble seems to follow, besides you wouldn't begrudge an old man the pleasure of a stroll through the woods would you? I mean you two wouldn't understand would you? To young, to _stupid_."

"Mr. Simmons I didn't mean – "

"Oh I know you didn't but that's because you never think, do you?"

"Mr. Simmons I don't know what Will and I did to make you – dislike us so much, but I can assure you we're deeply sorry, aren't we Will?"

"Not particularly."

Merlin glared at Will but quickly turned back to the old man. Arthur frowned, Merlin was jumpy, more jumpy then Arthur could ever remember seeing him actually. It was unnerving and slightly worrisome, this man was nothing special.

He was old, Merlin was right about that, probably older then Gaius, his back was bowed, his face wrinkled and ugly, pulled back in a snarl like it was, his hands liver spotted and wrinkled as well, he was certainly unpleasant but he couldn't seem to figure out why Merlin was so jumpy around him.

"Oh, it isn't William I dislike, he was a lovely boy if not a bit over confident before you came around – then you turned him into a terrible miscreant who enjoys causing trouble. But then again your mother was always trouble, and you are a _bastard child_, what can I expect?"

Three things happened at once:

One:

Merlin closed his eyes and Arthur raged because while he knew it was a common insult in the world they lived in, he had never thought it could ever be directed at someone like Merlin or someone like Hunith. Not them they just weren't.

It wasn't possible and it was a terrible insult.

Two:

Will struck a little too hard and spun around fast, furious, and the tree tilted dangerously, falling at the wrong angle, falling down towards Merlin, Simmons, and Will.

And Three:

And Merlin's eyes flew open wide, flaring gold.

The tree stopped, and Simmons and Will stared up at in unadulterated horror, then they're eyes turned to Merlin whose eyes were still golden, whose hands were still outstretched, and whose mouth was still frozen in a silent 'no'.

Merlin's already wide eyes widened even more to the point where Arthur could barely see the whites of his eyes. He must have released the magic because the tree fell to the ground barely three feet from the old man who jumped and spun widely.

"You – I suspected – but, you boy – "

He swallowed visibly.

"– You are in a world of trouble, _a sorcerer?_ _Ohhh_ you do not know what you have _done_! I won't tell anyone _now_ boy, but if you as much as slip up _once_, your head will be on the chopping block faster than you can blink, I'll make sure of it!"

With that the man was gone, disappearing back into the trees on shaky feet.

Will spun on Merlin then.

"_What was that?"_

"I-I don't _know_ Will!"

Merlin backed up, stumbling until his back hit a tree, his head swinging wildly from side to side looking for an escape, except he knew there was none, and instead he turned his too wide eyes on Will, who was now only an arm's length away.

"_Merlin_ you _know_ what it was."

"N-no I don't!"

Will touched Merlin's arm.

"You do, don't lie Merlin, it's okay."

Merlin shook his head widely, his cheeks wet with tears, he was terrified Arthur realized, more scared then Arthur had ever seen him.

"W-what's okay?"

Will smiled and Arthur saw something change in Merlin's eyes.

"You have _magic_ Merlin, and I'm okay with it."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the same clearing at sunset, the snow sparkling in the sun's dying rays, he smiled slightly when he heard the bird song's on the wind, it's almost peaceful, he thought.

" – Merlin we've known each other since we were five, why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't Will, I couldn't! I was scared Will, bloody terrified, magic is – _dangerous_ here, people _fear_ it, people _hate_ it, they would want me _dead_ – I-I _didn't_ want to die, I _don't_ want to die! So I kept it a secret, and I wanted to tell you Will, but how could I?"

Arthur looked around for the two young men, he soon found them, they'd scrabbled up a tree and were sitting in one of the boughs, and Arthur frowned, Merlin was – well he was much as Arthur expected to find him, curled into himself resting against the tree trunk, But Will –

Will was _lounging_ – because there was no better word for it – in the tree, spread out and laying on his back, one leg bent up at the knee while his head rested back, looking up into the upper branches. He looked relaxed, almost peaceful.

And Arthur wondered how he was so comfortable with a known sorcerer barely an arm's length away; he even appeared to have _his eyes closed!_ Why wasn't he scared, Arthur wondered, why was he calm when Merlin was so close by?

How could he be, when Arthur himself _couldn't_?

"Like this – hey Will, I'm a warlock, I was born with magic, now let's go get something to eat – that's how Merlin. Why would you keep this from me?"

"You're not – not mad at me?"

"Why would I be? You saved me Merlin, I would be dead if it wasn't for you, and so would Old Man Simmons, you saved us today, I can't be mad about that, I am hurt though that you couldn't trust me, I know I trusted you."

Arthur winced, because hadn't he said something along the same lines to Merlin?

_"I trusted you!"_

"I know Will – I should have, but I didn't and I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry, I was an idiot, a prat, can you forgive me?"

Will sighed and the wind whistled through the tree's, the sun was almost gone by now, barely a sliver remained visible over the distant hills, and the fading light cast shadows on the ground, it was haunting and beautiful all at once.

"I suppose, it depends will you show me something magical, preferably something that can show us the way home because I doubt we'll be able to find our way back any other way?"

Merlin threw his head back and laughed as the scene changed. They were back in Hunith's home again; Merlin and Will were standing tensely a few feet away from the woman who was clutching a broom so hard that her knuckles were white.

"William, go home."

"What Hunith! Merlin didn't – "

"William, go home."

"But – "

"William!"

"He's my best friend!"

"Will…_please_, go."

Will turned to Merlin then and nodded.

"Fine, I'll go, but Hunith, I found out because he saved my life along with Simmons."

Finally the boy was gone and Hunith stared at her son.

"How _could_ you Merlin?"

"I didn't do anything wrong!"

And then Hunith hugged him.

"_I know my little falcon, I know_, but I've decided Ealdor isn't safe anymore, you need to go away from here, do you remember me telling you about Camelot when you were small?"

"You're sending me away, to _Camelot_! The place where it all _started_!"

"I'm not sending you away Merlin, but I can't help you here either, I have an old friend there, he's a physician but more importantly he used to practice magic, Merlin you are – _so very precious to me_, you're the last thing I have of your father, but you need to go."

"You're _powerful_, so very powerful, more powerful than anyone I have ever known and I can't teach you, I _know nothing_ Merlin, your _magical_ and I'm not! I can't keep you here, I can't it's not fair to you, nor is it safe, you need to go to Camelot Merlin."

"Perhaps there you'll finally find out why…."

"Mum I don't want to go."

She ran her hands over his head, fingers fisting in raven hair that had never quite lost its childlike curl, her baby was growing up, and she knew she couldn't keep him here, Merlin was meant for so much more then this life.

She did not want him to go, if she could she would keep him with her forever, _her precious child_, but she knew it was time for him to go and test his wings, her _little falcon _was ready to_ sore_.

"_Sleep_ Merlin, you're not in trouble, I'm not mad. You'll need your rest; you'll be leaving in a week. I love you my child."

Merlin nodded against her breast and pushed away. He slowly made his way into his bedroom and fell down on the bed that hadn't changed since his childhood and Hunith sat in a chair by his bed like she hadn't since he was a babe.

She hummed.

And when Merlin was asleep she ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead before walking slowly to her writing desk and sitting down. She grabbed a piece of parchment and her quill and began to write and just like before Arthur read over her shoulder.

_My dear Gaius, _

_I turn to you for I feel lost and alone and don't know who to trust. It is every mother's fate to think her child is special, and yet I would give my life that Merlin were not so. _

_Ours is a small village and he is so clearly at odds with people here that, if he were to remain, I fear what would become of him. He needs a hand to hold, a voice to guide, someone that might help him find a purpose for his gifts._

_I beg you, if you understand a mother's love for her son, keep him safe, and may God save you both._

_Hunith_

She sighed and just like before, she cried. And as the scene changed again and again, Arthur watched Merlin say his goodbyes and then he was off, and Arthur –

– Arthur could not control the tiny bit of excitement that bubbled up inside him, because Merlin was on his way to Camelot.

* * *

Merlin turned his eyes to Gwen, the gold having faded away leaving only electric blue gems glimmering dimly.

"I'm not all powerful Gwen, there are something's I just cannot do, I'm sorry, I truly am. But I don't know how to fix it all this time; Arthur, I think is beyond our reach…."

"_No_."

She says her voice firm, her eyes hard jewels.

"No _you_ won't give up, _we_ won't give up, _Arthur_ wouldn't give up on us. _We_ will _not_ give up on _him_. We will find a way Merlin, we will – we have to – "

And then she cries, and Merlin, well he cries too.

* * *

_A/N I really know how to make these characters depressed don't I? i suppose it's a talent..._

_**Nameless Secret Keeper:** He won't how else will Merlin get a hug he will actually remember? LOL_

_**tigertiger**: Your welcome! It's fun to write but sadly it's coming to an end, Merlin is off to Camelot *sniffles* my baby is growing up! LOL_

_**Spinerofdark**: Maybe?!_

_**Angeleyenc**: Is this quick enough? LOL thank you dearie!_


	5. The Dragon's Call

_**No young man, no matter how great, can know his destiny. He cannot glimpse his part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, he must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot. A boy that will, in time, father a legend. His name? Merlin.**_

_**- Kilgharrah-  
**_

* * *

Arthur watched as Merlin walked into Camelot for the first time.

It was a strange thing truly, to see something that too many would mean so little – travelers came and went, many never staying in one place for very long – but that he knew would change so many things, because if Merlin hadn't come to Camelot then really he doubted things would be like they were today.

Merlin was smiling and practically gaping in wonder, his head swinging from side to side, nose twitching, Arthur realized what a shock something like this must be, Ealdor was small and it's market compared to Camelot's was meager.

This was something Merlin had never seen before and Arthur took a moment to take in the look of innocent wonder on his face.

Merlin shifted his pack on his shoulders and followed the crowd, his brown jacket blending in with the weaving patterns of blue and red that was Camelot's people. Arthur found himself grinning right along with the fool, seeing his people like this would never be something he would tire of.

It was only when he heard the drums that the smile slipped from his face.

Not for the first time he wished he could be heard, Merlin had no clue what he was walking into, the boy was oblivious, he didn't know what the drums _meant_, he didn't know that it meant that someone was going to die, all Merlin knew was the festive colors of something bigger then he had ever known.

When Merlin came to stop at the back of the crowd, and the man was led out Arthur watched the smile fall away from Merlin's lips, leaving a pale face and a slack jaw in its place.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass.""

Arthur's head snapped up, as he took in his father like a man who had been deprived of water for too long and was now being offered as much as he could drink. It was almost painful to see him standing there so strong while Arthur knew what would become of him.

Then his father raised his hand and the man was forced down onto his knees, his head forced down onto the block and then the axe came down with a swing, the drums let out a final powerful pound, and the man was no more.

He only half processed the fact that he, his father, and Merlin had been the only one to not look away, the rest had hid their faces and flinched. He only half registered the rest of his father's speech because from where he was standing well, Thomas James Collins's lifeless eyes were staring into his as if to pass a harsher punishment then the one he had been dealt.

"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery."

He registered his father's grin, the way his arms spread wide.

"Let the celebrations begin."

Then there was a wail, the people startled, whispering and parting to reveal an old woman dressed in brown, with gray hair that hung in flyaway wisps around her wrinkled and anguished face. With a sinking feeling he realized this must be the mother.

"There is only _one evil_ in this land, and _it is not magic_! _It is you_! With your _hatred_ and your _ignorance_! You _killed_ my _son_!"

She cried, her face contorting as tears fell down leather like cheeks, then all was still, as her face abruptly hardened, her arms sweeping out in a wide arc.

"But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son!"

His father did not move and then:

"Seize her!"

The women shook her head, a spell fell from her lips and just like that she was gone in a swirl of black wind leaving nothing behind. His father whirled around disappearing as the people quickly turned away going about their business as usual.

Above him he faintly heard the sound of a window closing. He watched as Merlin bowed his head and turned away from the man's corpse, Arthur had to practically run to keep up with his hurried steps. Merlin turned into the castle, only stopping to ask a guard for directions to Gaius's.

Arthur watched him let himself into Gaius's chambers, knocking once on the open door, his head swiveling side to side in much the same way it had in the streets if only a bit more cautious. Seeing the old man Merlin cleared his throat.

"Hello? Gaius?"

The man turned around a smile on his lips to great whoever had entered his chambers, only for his face to go slack in shock as he tripped backwards the railing giving way, Merlin franticly looks around and then Arthur watched his eyes flash gold as everything just – stopped.

Then Merlin swept his hand out a mattress flying under Gaius catching him as he finally fell. Gaius sat up in a flash and was on his feet in seconds, eyes roaming over Merlin who, Arthur realized, looked terrified.

"_What did you just do?"_

"Erm..."

"Tell me!"

"I-I-I have no idea what happened."

"If anyone had seen that…"

"No! That-that was, that was nothing to do with me, that-that was..."

"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it!"

"Nowhere."

"Then how is it that you know magic?"

"I don't!"

"Where did you study...answer me!"

"I-I've never studies magic or-or been taught!"

"Are you lying to me, boy?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"The truth!"

"I was born like this!"

"That's impossible!"

Then, "Who are you?"

Merlin fished his backpack off of his shoulders nervously stuttering, before fishing around inside until he found what he was looking for, the letter Arthur remembered watching Hunith write, he quickly handed it to Gaius before backing up a step.

"I have this letter."

"I don't have my glasses…."

"I'm Merlin."

Something like recognition flashed across Gaius's face.

"Hunith's son?"

Merlin nodded his head, "Yes!"

"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!"

"….It is Wednesday…"

"Ah, right then. You better put your bag in there."

Merlin nodded and turned only to turn back.

"You-you won't say anything about, erm…."

Gaius looked shocked for a moment before he shook his head, and Merlin smiled slightly before turning on his heel, only to be called back by Gaiu's voice.

"Although Merlin, I should say thank you."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in a Gaius's chambers on what he assumed was to be the following morning, Merlin was sitting down eating Gaius's famous watery porridge, Arthur laughed at the look on his face only for the laughter to fade when Gaius purposefully knocked over a bucket of water.

Merlin looked up and his eyes flashed gold as the bucket of water stopped in midair, the water that would have hit the floor glinting like tiny crystals, Arthur found it strangely beautiful, Gaius gasped and whatever Merlin had done was broken because the bucket fell to the ground water splashing everywhere.

"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?"

Merlin shook his head fast.

"I don't know any spells."

"So what did you do? There must be something."

"It just happens!"

Merlin looked down at his feet as he grabbed a mop to clear away the water that had spilled. Gaius sighed and grabbed two objects off of one of his many side tables before handing them to Merlin, taking the mop from his hands.

"Well, we better keep you out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you. Here's Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once."

Arthur laughed then, because he remembered Sir Olwin waking around for day's drunk, at the time they assumed the old man had been drinking but it would appear not, really it was a good thing that Merlin did not work as a full time physician's assistant for long, he couldn't imagine how much trouble that would have been.

The scene changed again and Arthur found himself in the courtyard staring at, well – himself, or a younger him at least, a less wise him as well, he remembered this day and the serving boy, and as he watched himself he realized Merlin was right – he had been a prat, and he found himself almost happy when Merlin decided to intervene.

"Hey, come on. That's enough."

He watched himself stalk up to Merlin.

"What?"

"You've had your fun my friend."

"Do I know you?"

Merlin looked sheepish and held out his hand to which the younger him ignored.

"Er, no, I'm Merlin"

"So I don't know you."

"No,"

"Yet you called me '_friend'_."

"That was my mistake."

"Yes, I think so."

"Yeah, I'd never have a friend who could be such an _ass_."

With that he watched Merlin turn on his heel and the younger him finger the sword at his hip as Merlin stopped walking with his next comment.

"Or I, one who could be so stupid, tell me Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?"

Merlin's back was rigid.

"No."

"Would you like me to teach you?"

"I wouldn't if I were you."

"Why? What are you going to do to me?"

"You have no idea."

Arthur winced at that, Merlin could have – most likely – killed him right there and yet he continued to taunt the man. His younger self could have been dead in less than a minute and no one would have been able to do anything, it was a chilling thought and the only consolation was the fact that Merlin hadn't.

He hadn't snapped once in all these years, Arthur wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come oooooon."

Merlin swung at his younger self and Arthur winced as his arm was wretched behind his back, Merlin glared and twisted so his eyes were staring up into his younger self's. Arthur remembered never having seen eyes quite like them.

"I'll have you thrown in jail for that!"

"What, who do you think you are? The King?"

"No. I'm his son, Arthur."

Then his younger self swung at Merlin's knee's as the scene changed, Merlin was in the stocks being pelted with fruits and vegetables by dimpled children a smile on his face. He almost wondered why he was seeing this until he saw Gwen.

His queen was younger here but she still had the same smile that Arthur loved and Arthur found himself smiling right along with her.

"I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid."

Merlin smiled and offered her his hand which Gwen took.

"I'm Merlin, although most people just call me idiot."

Arthur snorted and Gwen shook her head.

"No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave."

Merlin looked down shaking his head.

"It was stupid."

"Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him."

Merlin snorted and Arthur nodded because while he hated to admit it, if Merlin was allowed to use – his magic, then Arthur freely admitted that he would be beaten, if for no other reason but the fact that he had never fought someone one on one like that.

"Oh, I…I can beat him."

"You think? Because you don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows."

Merlin's reply was flat.

"Thanks."

"NO! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It just, erm…Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, safe the world kind of men, and….well…"

"What?"

"You don't look like that."

Arthur snorted as Merlin motioned for Gwen to come closer and in a whisper that really couldn't be considered a whisper said, "I'm in disguise." And Gwen oblivious to the truth in the statement laughed.

"Well it's great you stood up to him."

"What, you think so?"

"Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero."

Arthur didn't have time to digest that idea as the children that had previously left came running back baskets of fruit in their hands and Merlin grinned at Gwen, "Oh excuse me Guinevere, my fans are waiting." Gwen grinned and quickly dashed out of the way just in time for the first tomato to go flying.

The memory changed and Arthur found himself in Gaius's chambers.

"Do you want some vegetables with that?"

Arthur straight out laughed while Merlin snorted.

"I know you're still angry with me."

"Your mother asked me to look after you."

"Yes."

"What did your mother say to you about your gifts?"

"That I was special."

Gaius nodded and Merlin turned back to his food, only for Gaius to speak again.

"You are special, the likes of which I have never seen before."

Merlin looked up again then.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells, it takes years to study. What I saw you do was – elemental, instinctive."

Merlin drug the spoon around in his stew, creating patterns and Arthur stepped closer, he was surprisingly interested in the answers the next few minutes could bring, perhaps they could show him what made Merlin different from all the rest.

"What's the point if It can't be used?"

Gaius sighed.

"That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin."

Merlin seemed to nod and both men turned back to their dinners and Arthur expected the world to shift to a new memory, but it didn't instead he watched in silence until finally Merlin looked up again, a question on his lips.

"Did you ever study magic?"

"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago."

"Why?"

"People used magic for the wrong end at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy anything from back then, even the dragons."

"What? All of them?"

Gaius paused.

"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it, now eat up. When you're finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice."

Merlin nodded as the memory shifted.

He was in the guest chambers that Arthur remembered always being assigned to Lady Helen while she was at the castle, Merlin walked foreword and set the preparation on the tale only to pick up a small doll made out of straw, and shift through a pile of strange looking books with symbols that Arthur had never seen before.

Suddenly hearing footsteps he put the doll and the books back in there places, Merlin spun around to face the dark haired woman.

"What are you doing in here?"

"An..I-I was asked to deliver this."

Picking up the preparation he handed it to the woman before quickly leaving the guest chambers, and Arthur did not blame him – that doll, those books – they where strange and eerie, Merlin quickly hurried down the stairs and out into the courtyard where he was stopped by a voice.

"How's your knee-walking coming along?"

Arthur groaned, he really was beginning to hate his younger self, he was far too confident, all though if he remembered correctly this was his first almost defeat in – then – ages and he was curious to see how Merlin did it, although he had a sneaking idea that magic was involved.

He watched Merlin keep walking only to stop with younger Arthur's next comment.

"Aw, don't run away!"

"From you?"

"Thank god. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."

Merlin turned around then.

"Look, I've already told you you're an _ass_; I just didn't realize you were a _royal_ one. Oh, what are you going to _do_? Get your _daddy's_ men to protect you?"

His younger self laughed.

"I could take you apart with _one_ blow."

"I could take you apart with _less_ than that."

"Are you sure?"

Merlin stood still for a moment before shrugging off his jacket. Younger Arthur laughed again as a mace was handed to him, which his younger self tossed to Merlin who – in true Merlin fashion – completely missed. Merlin bent down and picked his up while his younger self began to swing his own back and forth with ease.

"Come on, then. I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth."

Arthur snorted as he remembered the nickname that was about to make its first appearance. Merlin stared at his opponent a mocking glint in his electric orbs.

"_Wow_, and how long have you been training to be a _prat_?"

Both Arthur's snorted.

"You can't address _me_ like that."

"I'm sorry, how long have you been training to be a _prat_ – " Merlin bent at the waist in a mocking bow " – _my lord_?"

His younger self began to swing at Merlin then who franticly backed up, Arthur backed him up into a market stall and he watched his younger self thrill at the crowd that was gathering. Merlin backed u farther and the man fell.

"Haha. You're in trouble now."

Merlin looked around, his eyes swinging from side to side until they landed on two large hooks and he smiled slightly as his eyes flashed gold and younger Arthur's mace became entangled. He got it untangled in record time and was on Merlin again, Merlin's eyes flashed and a box moved into Arthur's path.

"OW! Argh!"

The younger Arthur comes at him again, and Merlin's eyes flash as a rope tightened causing him to trip, Merlin then picked up his previously discarded mace and began to swing it at Arthur.

"Do you want to give up?"

"To you?"

"Do you? Do you want to give up?"

The younger Arthur was on his feet again, and Arthur winces as his younger selves' foot landed in a bucket causing him to lose his balance once more and fall to the ground.

Merlin looked around a grin on his face only to catch Gaius in the crowd, and that was all the time his younger self needed, grabbing a nearby broom he knocked Merlin to the ground, as the guards to tried to pick him up, most likely to bring him to the dungeons, but his younger self stopped them.

"Wait. Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one. There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it."

You _won't ever truly be able to either_, Arthur thinks.

It's in that moment that Gaius pulls Merlin away, and Arthur, when the memory didn't change hurried after them, Gaius did not speak until they were safely inside his chambers only then did he round on Merlin.

"How can you be so foolish?!"

"He needed to be taught a lesson."

Gaius sighed in frustration.

"Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for your idiotic pranks!"

"What is there to maser? I could move objects like that before I could talk!"

"Then, by now you should know who to control yourself!"

Merlin rounded on him then.

"I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got? I'm just a nobody, and I always will be, if I can't use magic I might as well die!"

Merlin sighed then, all anger seemly having left him and turned on his heel heading into his bedroom. Gaius followed a basket in his hands and sighed at the sight of Merlin spread out on the bed.

"Merlin? Sit up. Take your shirt off."

Merlin sat up with a groan removing his shirt over his head; Arthur winced at the bruises that stood out in black and blue shadows along the otherwise pale skin. Gaius pressed a compress to his shoulder and Merlin winced, sitting up straighter.

"You don't know why I was born like this, do you?"

Gaius sighs.

"No."

"I'm not a monster, am I?"

And Arthur remembers a six year old Merlin with sleepy eyes and wild curls asking his mother the same question, except back then Merlin believed – like all children do – that his mother knew everything and accepted her answer easily.

But Merlin wasn't six anymore and Arthur could see it in his eyes that Merlin truly believed himself to be a monster, it was truly sad and Arthur found himself wishing he could be heard if only to reassure this young man that he wasn't the things nightmares are made up of.

Gaius leaned forward so he was eye to eye with Merlin.

"Don't ever think that."

"Then why am I like this? Please, I need to know why."

Gaius sighed.

"Maybe there's someone with more knowledge then me."

"If you can't tell me, no one can."

Gaius sighed and poured a potion into a cup that he handed to Merlin.

"Take this. It will help with the pain."

The memory shifted then and Arthur found himself in Merlin's bedroom at what he guessed to be midnight, Merlin was asleep and Arthur wondered why this was important.

"Merlin….Merlin…"

Ah yes, that was why it was important, a strange disembodied voice was calling for Merlin, why wasn't he surprised. Merlin sits up then and sneaks past a sleeping Gaius and out of his chambers, Arthur follows on swift feet as they make their way through the deserted square.

Merlin steps back into the castle and quickly descends a staircase that Arthur doesn't remember ever having seen before. He stops half way down spotting two guards. His eyes flash and the men's dice scatter away repeatedly until both guards had followed them far enough away that Merlin could easily light a torch and slip past them.

"Merlin….Merlin…."

Ah yes, there was the disembodied voice again. Merlin had by now reached a cave and Arthur found himself knowing he wasn't going to like what happened next.

There was the sound of a deep gravely laughter and then, "Merlin."

"Where are you?"

And suddenly there was the sound of wings, a sound Arthur didn't think he would ever forget. Merlin backed up quickly the torch he held flickering, but he did not run. Arthur was not sure he could say he would do the same if in Merlin's situation.

"I'm here. How _small_ you are for such a _great_ destiny."

"Why? What do you mean? What destiny?"

What destiny, indeed.

'Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason."

Merlin's face seemed to lighten a bit at that.

"So there is a reason…"

It sounded almost like a prayer to Arthur's ears.

"Arthur is the Once and Future King. He will unite the land of Albion."

Merlin nodded his head shakily.

"But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike."

"I don't see what this has to do with me."

"Everything, Merlin. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion."

Merlin shook his head fast at that, and Arthur stood there next to him slack jawed, because this lizard was reciting prophecies about him and Merlin, and yet it wasn't the most shocking thing he had ever seen.

"No, No, you've got this wrong!"

"There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't"

"But I'm serious! If anyone wants to go and kill him, they can go ahead. In fact, I'll give them a hand."

Arthur winced and the dragon roared with laughter.

"None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it."

"No, no way, No, no, there must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot!"

The dragon was quiet for a moment and then: "Perhaps it's your destiny to change that." With that the great beast flapped its wings and was gone. The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the banquet hall following Gaius and Merlin in, both of who stopped by a table laden with food.

Then Morgana walked by and Arthur had to fight the urge to snarl despite the fact that no one would hear him. His – sister was a subject that was never breached around the castle except in council meetings where she was brought up almost constantly because of her unknown whereabouts and her constant threat.

He didn't like to talk about her – he would probably always carry the wounds of her betrayal – and to see her here in this court angered him. She was a traitor and there was nothing he hated more, Morgana was a wretched human being and seeing her here was enough to make anyone who had experienced her tyranny snarl.

Plus there was the way his younger self was staring after her that he found wildly disturbing.

He only lessoned his glare and turned back to Merlin when he heard Gwen's voice. His queen was smiling widely and carrying a jug of what he assumed to be wine, her hair was pulled back into a tail at the nap of her neck, loose curls flying every which way.

In short, she was beautiful.

"She looks great, doesn't she?"

Merlin who hadn't taken his eyes away, nodded, his Adams apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. Again Arthur found the way everyone's eyes were on the traitor disturbing.

"Yeah."

"Some people are just born to be queen."

"No!"

"I hope so. One day. Not that I'd want to be her. Who'd want to marry Arthur?"

Merlin chuckled.

"Oh, come on, Gwen. I thought you liked those real rough, tough, save the world kind of men."

"No, I like much more ordinary men like you."

What?

"Gwen, believe me, I'm not ordinary."

"NO, I didn't mean you, obviously, not you. But just, you know, I like much more ordinary men like you."

"Thanks."

Then the horns sounded and the large ornate doors swung open, everyone hurried into their lines as his father swept in a smile on his lips. Walking to the front of the room he smiled again and began his speech.

We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

He then swept his arms open with a final smile and took his seat between Morgana and Arthur's younger counterpart.

Lady Helen swept in a blur of yellow and began to sing. At first the song was normal, but just as he remembered – or rather didn't remember – people began to fall asleep, their heads dropping onto their shoulders, or onto another person's shoulder, and in the case of one man onto the table.

His younger self, the traitor, and his father where asleep at the high table, and he watched in horror as cobwebs began to form, as the room darkened with nothing but the force of her magic and the power of her song.

He remembered though waking up –

So how? But then –

His eyes landed on Merlin who had his hands over his ears and was franticly looking around. Helen began to walk foreword then, her arms spread wide until she finally reached into the sleeve of her dress to pull out an ornately carved dagger.

He turned his head back to Merlin, because he knew Merlin had to have done something, and as if by prayer Merlin's eyes flashed gold as Lady Helen stepped under a chandelier and it came down on her, pinning her to the ground.

And just like that people began to wake up.

But just as he remembered Lady Helen sat up and threw a dagger. However this time he saw what he hadn't before, he watched Merlin's eye flash gold as the dagger drastically slowed allowing Merlin time to dash across the room and push Arthur down.

The dagger embedded itself into Arthur's chair dead center where his heart would have been. Both his younger self and his father stared at Merlin in something resembling wonder, finally his father licked his lips and spoke.

"You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid."

"Oh, well…"

"Don't e so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"No, honestly, you don't have to, your highness."

"No absolutely. This merits something quite special."

"Well…"

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."

The scene changed.

He was in Merlin's bedroom now as the man stared into a dancing candle with a look that Arthur, if prompted at sword point could not possibly hope to explain in a way that would make any sense. Arthur almost wished he could hear what Merlin was thinking.

The door opened and Merlin looked up slightly, as Gaius came in, a book wrapped in red cloth in his hands.

"Seems you're a hero."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"No. I knew it from the moment I met you. When you saved my life, remember?"

Merlin looks confused.

"But….that was magic…."L

Gaius nodded, "and now, it seems, we finally found a use for it."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw how you saved Arthur's life."

Merlin shook his head.

"Perhaps that's its purpose."

Merlin sighed deeply, the look he had had in his eyes when the door had first opened returning as his next words gave Arthur a good idea to what he had been thinking about.

"My destiny."

"Indeed, this book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it ever was to me."

Gaius handed the book to Merlin, who removed the cloth, unlatched the book, and began to flip through the pages, only to look up at Gaius in wonder, a smile starting to color his features.

"But this is a book of magic!"

Gaius nodded, "which is why you must keep it hidden."

Merlin was grinning out right by now.

"I will study every word."

There was a knock that Arthur assumed came from the main door to Gaius's chambers and then, "Merlin, Prince Arthur wants you right away."

Merlin rolled his eyes as Gaius smiled.

"Your destiny's calling. You'd better find out what he wants."

The scene changed.

* * *

A/N: this took three days to write and a forth to look over. It's a total of 5, 247 words. WOW O.O

It would have been up tomorrow but i have fundraising all day _**which reminds me, if you live in central new york and want some barbeque chicken tomorrow come to 64 North Main st Shurburne NY across the street my guard team is fundraising for new uniforms and flags. PLEASE IF YOU CAN!**_

**Princess Tyler Briefs**: Awesome penname! Your right this is not done, actually it's far from being over i plan to take this all the way through series four if not five (depends if we get a magic reveal WHICH WE BETTER) THANK YOU so much for saying that! This review totally made my day!

**Nameless Secret keeper**: Nope there not over as i just told Princess Tyler up above i plan to take this through series 4 if not 5.

**Tigertiger**: I'm working on several different senaries on how they figure out what's going on! Here's your update, i'll try to update at least once a week!

**IndiaMoore**: THANK YOU so much

Mika271170: Well this is how i interpenetrated his first days. I hope you liked it!

**EveBB**:, Yes it will be interesting to say the least, actually the idea of how there are two sides to every story has always fascinated me. It's an interesting how someone can see the same event so differently from someone else, isn't it?  
i do tend to fall out of one tense and into another, it is something I'm working on. Your welcome although i should be thanking you! So i will THANK YOU!

**Question for you:** because these are so long should i split them into two chapters?

**Bonus question for you:** Who's your favorite Merlin character and why?


	6. Valiant

Arthur winced as Merlin came stumbling into Gaius's chambers.

"Do you hear clanging?"

He almost laughed, would have, if he did not see how unsteady Merlin was on his feet, Gaius noticed this quickly pulled the remaining armor off of Merlin and pushed him down into a chair. Arthur winced again as he heard Merlin's sharp intake of breath.

He knew he was often….hard on Merlin, especially when he used the manservant for training but – he didn't think – he winced again, he sometimes forgot with Merlin being well – Merlin, rushing headfirst into danger that he wasn't a knight. That his body wasn't used to training like this.

"It was horrible. _Ahh_, and I've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by the morning," Merlin looked up and Arthur watched his eyes flash gold, "onhríne achtung bregdan." A book that Arthur hadn't noticed before slid across the table, flying open. Arthur was surprised when he didn't startle.

Gaius gave a surprised snort and slapped the back of Merlin's head.

"What've I told you about using magic like this?"

Merlin winces.

"If I could actually feel my arms, I'd pick up the book myself."

Gaius sighed and resumed his massaging.

"Never mind you arms. What do I do if you get caught?"

Merlin looked curious at that, which Arthur found odd, but then again through the years Merlin had been curious about a lot of strange things and Arthur found this to be one of the least odd.

"What would you do?"

Gaius doesn't answer.

"Well you just make sure it doesn't happen, for both our sakes."

Merlin yelped as Gaius touched his left shoulder and Arthur winced, perhaps the next time he trained with Merlin he could be a bit more gentle if it caused the servant this much pain. But – there really wouldn't be a next time, would there?

He'd made sure of that.

He turned his attention back to Gaius and Merlin's conversation.

"We all have our duties, Merlin. Even Arthur."

Merlin snorted.

"It must be so tough for him with all the girls and the glory."

"He is a future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot pressure."

There was silence and then Gaius gave a jerk of Merlin's shoulder as Arthur winced at the sound of bone's sliding against each other before popping back into their rightful place.

The scene changed.

Arthur found himself staring at Merlin and his younger self again. He wondered if it was bad that he wanted to punch his younger self because of the sheer amount of arrogance that resided in sneer he was directing at Merlin.

"You do know the tournament starts today?"

Ah yes, he remembers this now, he remembers the frustration that Merlin wasn't quick, and his hands were clumsy, he remembers the way his insides had been twisted into a knot, he remembers how impressed he'd been that Merlin had known what to do at all.

He doesn't remember ever being this mad before a tournament however.

He knew he was a royal – well, pain. That is he'd been told by Merlin and when he'd been younger, by quite a few disgruntled nursemaids, but this, he didn't remember this. He hoped that he still wasn't like this.

"Yes sire."

It was silent for a moment except for the scraping of fabric against metal.

"You nervous?"

"I don't get nervous."

Arthur snorted; and Merlin gave him a look that he would become quite familiar with in the coming years, clearly Merlin didn't believe his younger self either.

"Really? I thought everyone got nervous."

His younger self snaps.

"Will you shut up!"

Merlin has the audacity to grin as he fastens the cape around his younger self's neck, and hands him his helmet. "Great yeah, I think you're all set." Younger Arthur sneers, "Aren't you forgetting something?" Merlin looked around, and Arthur shook his head at the look of confusion on his face.

"My sword."

Merlin looked sheepish and his younger self grabbed the sword from his hands and stalked off. Merlin blew a bit of air from his lips, his unevenly cut fringe fluttering.

"That went well."

Arthur hurried after Merlin, who he found had been a lot closer then remembered him being, the idiot had hidden himself away behind a pillar dangerously close to the arena. He sighed and watched Merlin's face throughout his father's speech.

He wondered if Merlin hated his father.

"Knights of the realm, it's a great honor to welcome you to a tournament of Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur."

"Only one can have the honor of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces."

Things went quickly after that scenes blurring in and out at a rapid pace, he watched himself beat opponent after opponent and then he watched as his younger self and Merlin watched Valiant fight. He can't recall being afraid of him, or at least then, but knowing what was to come he wondered if he should have been.

Valiant exited the arena and approached the two.

"May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?"

His younger self nodded.

"Likewise."

"I hope to see you at the reception this evening."

Then he was gone.

"Creep."

His younger self snorted along with Merlin. Then; "Uh, for tomorrow you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword, and polish my chainmail."

He remembered being afraid of the fact that Merlin could make him laugh right along with him. His father's teachings about how to rule had been in the front of his head and now wished he could tell his younger self what he now knew about what it was to truly rule over Camelot.

The scene changed.

The first thing he heard was the hissing.

He wonders if he should be surprised when – instead of turning and running for help like a normal servant – Merlin decided to investigate, he also feels he should be more shocked when the eye of the shield blinked, no matter knowing the outcome.

But he isn't, he does start however when the sword is thrust at Merlin's chest, Merlin finally showing the correct amount of fear backed up from the shield. Valiant was – glowering at Merlin – glaring in a way that made Arthur's skin crawl.

"Can I help you with something, boy?"

Merlin shook his head.

"Nope. I'm good. I-I was just…I was, erm, gathering my master's armor."

Valiant glowered.

"Then you best be on your way."

Merlin nodded gathering all the pieces of armor nearly falling as Valiant stuck his foot out. The scene changed and Arthur found himself in Gaius's chambers as Merlin and Gaius hovered over a prone form that Arthur vaguely recognized.

"How is he?"

Gaius frowned as Arthur stepped forward slipping through Merlin – it was odd, the rush of cold and warm that was the response of such an action – to stare down at the young man that Arthur now remembered being a competitor in the tournament.

He took note of the two small, ragged holes in the man's neck.

"It's most odd. Look at this. See these two small wounds. Looks like a snake bite."

"How could he have been bitten by a snake? He was injured in the sword fight." Gaius didn't look up, but his brow creased further, "But the symptoms are consistent with poisoning: slow pulse, fever, paralysis."

"Can you heal him?"

"Well, if it is a snake bite, I'll have to extract venom from the snake that bit him to make an antidote."

"What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?"

"Then I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for him. He's going to die."

Arthur stepped back just in time to see Merlin's jaw tense.

"He was fighting Knight Valiant."

Gaius looked up.

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

Then he turned on his heel and left. Arthur followed lengthening his strides to keep up with Merlin – he didn't want to think about what would happen if he lost sight of him in what was essentially a memory – who turned ducked into a hallway.

A familiar hallway, and really it must be some horrible coincidence that they'd given Valiant the same rooms as they'd given the mother that impersonated Lady Helen **(1)** and he see's realization flash behind Merlin's eyes before he cracks the door open.

The shield is – alive, and yeah, he knew it was, but to see the horror in Merlin's face and when Arthur had fought Valiant he had known but – this? He didn't like it, he liked it even less when Merlin gasped and Valiant gave chase.

Merlin didn't stop running until he reached Gaius's chambers where the physician was sitting next to the bed where the fevered young man lies. Merlin spoke, his face ashen.

"I've just seen one of the snakes in Valiant's shield come alive. He's using magic."

Gaius looked up, his face entirely serious.

"Are you sure?"

"The snake ate a mouse – one swallow, straight down. Sir Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must've been one of the snakes from the shield. I have to tell Arthur."

Gaius sighed.

"Is there any chance you might be mistaken?"

"I know magic when I see it."

"Perhaps, but have you any proof?"

Merlin looked vaguely hurt at that.

"Don't you believe me?"

"I fear you'll land yourself in trouble. How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chambers?"

"What does it matter? He's using magic to cheat in the tournament!"

"But you can't go accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The King would never accept the word of servants over the word of a knight."

"What? So what I say doesn't count for anything?"

Gaius frowned, a shadow of – something, passing across his face. **(2)**

"I'm afraid it counts for very little as far as the King is concerned. That's the way it is."

The scene changed.

Merlin rounded on Gaius something like fire burning in his blue eyes.

"Valiant's going to fight Arthur in the final. He'll use the shield to kill him."

Merlin turned and stalked away.

The scene changed again

Arthur found himself standing next to Merlin who was staring down at Ewan – it was dark, the room illuminated only by candles and Arthur found himself just staring at Merlin, the man looked haunted in a way that Arthur had seen only a few times before.

Looking at Merlin now he could see how someone could mistake Merlin for being something otherworldly – it was in the way he stared far too hard, the way he seemed to see right through you and the way his blue irises seemed to be ringed in gold in the flickering light of the candles.

Merlin looked fae, and the very thought that Merlin could be something so – untouchable scared him, this man he was seeing in these memories? It was so different then the Merlin he knew – the one he assumed was lazy and at times in the past useless – and he wondered how he hadn't seen this.

Not just the sorcery but the very person Merlin was.

The door opened but Merlin barely acknowledged it. Arthur turned his head and watched Gaius walk to stand beside his ward, his eyes unreadable.

"Merlin, about what I said yesterday….look, Uther wouldn't really listen to you or me, but you are right. We can't let Valiant get away with this."

Merlin didn't look up, but he spoke his voice flat.

"But we don't have any proof."

"Well if we could cure Ewan he could tell the King that Valiant was using magic. The king would believe another knight. But how we get the antidote…well, that's another matter."

Merlin pushed off of the table he was leaning against and left without a backward glance. Arthur followed his heart sinking because of course Merlin would want to do it himself. He sighed and watched as Merlin's eyes flashed gold a spell falling from his lips as the door unlocked itself with a soft click.

Merlin steps inside the room and grabs a sword from a rack; he approached the shield on cautious feet, until the tip of the sword was poking the shield.

Nothing happened, Arthur sighed in relief only to take a sharp intake when he heard the sound of approaching feet. Merlin turned and Arthur has the advantage point to see what Merlin could not, he watched the snake slowly slither out.

Arthur did not yell, he did however tell Merlin – who he rationally knew would not hear – in a very loud voice to turn around or run.

Merlin whirled and swiftly cut the head from the snake only stopping long enough to pick it up before he was dashing from the room as the rest of the snakes slowly slithered from the shield. Merlin once again ran from Valiant's chambers all the way to Gaius's.

Merlin burst through the door handing a shocked Gaius the head before sinking down into a chair pale faced and gulping in air. Gaius quickly grabbed a small bottle pushing the fangs down into it to extract the poison.

The sickly liquid slowly trickled into the bottle.

"I'll get started preparing the antidote."

Merlin nodded pushing himself to his feet.

"I'm going to tell Arthur."

Gaius nods thrusting the snake head into Merlin's hands. Merlin turns then and is ready to leave and just like the first day Gaius calls him back.

"And Merlin, what you did was very brave."

_Foolish, dangerous_, Arthur thinks but he nods, because it was brave to, it was recklessly brave and it was something Merlin seemed to excel at. Arthur followed Merlin then and watched the disbelief flash across his younger self's face.

You? You chopped its head off?

Merlin nodded his head jerkily. Arthur took note of how white Merlin was and he wondered why his younger self didn't.

"Ewan was bitten by a snake from the shield when he was fighting Valiant. You can talk to Gaius, you can see the puncture wounds in Ewan's neck where the snake bit him. Ewan was beating him, he had to cheat."

"Valiant wouldn't dare use magic in Camelot."

"I don't like the guy, but that doesn't mean he's cheating. "

"Gaius is preparing an antidote to the snake venom. When Ewan's conscious, he'll tell you what happened. If you fight Valiant in the final, he'll use the shield. It's the only way he can beat you. Look at it! "

Merlin grabbed the snake head and thrust it at Arthur, his eyes daring his younger self not to pay attention, not to believe him. Arthur remembers those eyes and he remembers believing because there was no way the fear and concern in Merlin's eyes could be fake.

"Have you ever seen any snakes like this in Camelot?" Younger Arthur doesn't respond but Merlin doesn't give him a chance to "I know I'm just a servant and my word doesn't count for anything. I wouldn't lie to you."

Finally his younger self cleared his throat his eyes and face serious.

"I want you to swear to me what you're telling me is true. "

Merlin nodded.

"I swear it's true."

His younger self nodded.

"Then I believe you."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the throne room his father and Valiant in front of him, Valiant who was clutching his shield a little too tightly. His father strode foreword.

"Why have you summoned the court?"

Younger Arthur strode foreword meeting his father halfway.

"I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the tournament."

His father looked doubtful but turned to Valiant.

"Valiant, what do you have to say to this?"

"My Lord, this is ridiculous. I've never used magic. Does your son have any evidence to support this outrageous accusation?"

His father raised an eyebrow but turned towards his younger counterpart.

"Do you have evidence?"

Younger Arthur nodded motioning Merlin foreword who handed him the king the snake head. The king looked at it for a moment – turning it this way and that – before turning back to court. "Let me see the shield." His younger counterpart drew his sword as the king poked and prodded the shield to no effect.

"As you can see, my Lord, it's just an ordinary shield."

His younger self scoffed. "He's not going to let everyone see the snakes come alive."

His father turned to him then. "Then how am I to know that what you say is true?"

"I have a witness. Knight Ewan was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. It venom made him grievously ill; however, he received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic to cheat."

"Where is this witness?"

His younger self looked around.

"He should be here…."

"I'm waiting!"

His younger self swallowed. "I'm afraid the witness is dead."

"So you have no proof to support these allegations. Have you seen Valiant using magic?"

"No. But my servant fought one of the snakes from..."

"Your servant? You made these outrageous accusations against a knight on the word of your servant." His father looked murderous. "I believe he's telling the truth."

Valiant stepped forward then.

"My lord, am I really to be judged on some hearsay from a boy?" Merlin burst forward then and Arthur was reminded of stupid reckless bravery. "I've seen those snakes come alive!"

His father rounded on the stupidly reckless man. "How dare you interrupt?! Guards!" Two guards grabbed Merlin by the arms then and pulled, Valiant smirked. "My Lord."

"Wait!"

I'm sure he was merely mistaken. I wouldn't want him punished on my account."

His father rounded on his younger self, rounded on Arthur.

"You see? This is how a true Knight behaves – with gallantry and honor."

"My lord, if your son made accusations because he's afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept his withdrawl."

His father looked shocked at that.

"Is this true? Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?"

"No!"

"Then what am I to make of these allegations?"

"Obviously there has been a misunderstanding. I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my apology."

Valiant nodded, the smirk not having left his lips.

"Accepted."

The scene changed.

I believed you; I trusted you, and you made me look a complete fool."

Merlin sighed and Arthur realized how tired he looked. Arthur sighed and wondered why his younger self couldn't see it.

"I know it didn't go exactly to plan? My father and the entire royal court think I'm a coward! YOU HUMILUATED ME!"

Arthur turned away then. He knew what was coming next.

"We can still expose Valiant."

"I no longer require your services."

"You're sacking me?"

"I need a servant I can trust."

"You can trust me!"

"And look where it got me this time. Get out of my sight!"

The scene changed and Arthur turned back around. Arthur watched Merlin. The man looked furious and the torch he carried swung back and forth as he seemed to search out the cave's inhabitant.

"Where are you? I just came to tell you: whatever you think my destiny, whatever it is you think I'm supposed to do, you've got the wrong person! That's it. Goodbye."

Merlin turned to leave as the dragon descended.

"If only it were so easy to escape one's destiny."

"How can it be my destiny to protect someone who hates me?" Arthur frowned Arthur didn't think he had it in him back then to hate Merlin. He had been angry but he'd never hated him.

"A half cannot truly hate that which made it whole. Very soon you shall learn that."

"Oh, great. Just what I needed. Another riddle."

Arthur snorted.

"That your and Arthur's path lies together is but the truth."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know, young warlock, this is not the end. It is the beginning."

Merlin growled.

"Just give me a straight answer!"

The scene changed and Arthur blinked. Merlin was wheeling a wheelbarrow, with a dog statue in it. Sadly it wasn't the strangest thing he'd seen today. Or yesterday, there was no measure of time here and he wondered how long this had been going on for.

"What are you doing with that?"

Ah, Gaius. Good old Gaius.

"I'm going to let everyone see the snakes for themselves."

Arthur frowned. This didn't sound at all safe. Merlin wheeled the statue into his room before pulling up a loose floorboard and removing his spell book. Settling himself on the bed Merlin flipped through the book before settling on a single page.

Arthur couldn't read it at all. But apparently Merlin could.

"Bebay odothay. Bebay odothay arisan quickum."

Nothing happened and Merlin frowned.

"Bebay odothay arisan quickum. Bebay odothay arisan quickum."

Again nothing, Arthur groaned and settled himself down on the floor and watched. Merlin tried the spell well into the night, until finally he fell asleep sitting up, Arthur frowned, the idiot. He was going to kill himself like that, working until finally he fell asleep exhausted.

Arthur watched until finally in the early morning he woke, already muttering the spell.

"Bebay odothay...arisan quickum."

He sighed.

Merlin tried again, his head settling on his chest his eyes closed.

"Bebay odothay arisan quickum."

There was a growl and Arthur started his eyes swinging to Merlin then the stature that – wasn't a stature anymore but a growling dog. A big, growling dog.

"Bebay odothay arisan quickum."

The dog barked and Merlin's eyes flew open before a grin broke out across his face. "I did it!" The dog barked and Merlin was on his feet in seconds and out the door shutting it in the growling animals face. Gaius looked up.

"Arthur's fighting Valiant!"

"I know. I'm on my way. Oh, whatever you do, don't go into my room. We'll deal with it later."

Arthur laughed as the scene changed and Merlin muttered the spell. Arthur watched his own shocked face as the snakes burst forth from the shield. He remembered being terrified as the snakes came at him but most of all he remembers Valiant's horror filled gaze.

"What are you doing? I didn't summon you."

He remembers being confused by that statement, because as far as he could tell the snakes had to be summoned and who would summon them except for the owner?

Apparently a Warlock would.

The fight was over then and the scene changed.

* * *

So i am sooo afraid about putting this chapter up because i think it's bordering on suckish but i'm going to be brave.

(1) okay so i have no concrete proof of this buuuut, i think it would be funny if like every character that's tried to kill arthur has stayed in that room. Make it like a running gag.

(2) i believe that before the purge started Gaius and Uther's relationship was something like Arthur's and Merlin's so to realize that his best friend wouldn't listen to him must have hurt.

**IndiaMoore**:Thank you

**EVeBB:** I tried although I'm not quite sure how it turned out.

**Sarajm**: I'm glad you like it

**Nameless Secret Keeper**: Thank you!

**Angeleyenc**: I imagine it would be an amazing episode. Let's just hope Arthur doesn't react like i made him react in this story.

**Guest:** I don't know...i should try that...

T**heImpossiblePen**: THANK YOU! I will!

**TigerTiger**: I loved Lancelot too! I was so sad when he was killed off. I agree Gwaine is amazing!

**Medchan**: hahaha that awesome! Will is in season one i believe and yes THAT will be fun to write. Nimueh's death is also season one and THAT i imagine i'm going to struggle to captur because of the sheer awesomeness of it all. I'm so glad i have someone who liked Morgana on here because i have plan's for her character in this story. As for Gwaine i always thought that yeah he liked to drink but i figured he could use that to his advantage for information gathering and such.


	7. Interlude

He goes back to the dungeons around midday on the excuse that someone was bound to find him missing. Gwen just nods, she's been quiet since she'd admitted her belief that Arthur wouldn't have given up on them, and Merlin couldn't stand the silence any longer.

He's so confused.

He slips into his cell with the key and slides down to the floor in the darkest corner.

"Why would anyone – "

He doesn't understand it, the magic wasn't what he thought he would find, he had thought – well never mind what he had thought because it was irrelevant. He was used to magic being used for evil against Arthur.

He was used to that sick twisted dark magic, that when he felt it made him feel sick – nauseous in the worst way. Not something like this, never anything like this, he'd met so few sorcerers and sorceresses that were like him in their beliefs that violence would solve nothing that he'd almost forgot how –

Well, how good the kind of magic that was placed on Arthur felt. It was clean and innocent and Merlin couldn't help but wonder what kind of anti-villainous sorcerer (sorcerers?) cast the spell on the king.

He sighed his head falling to rest on his chest.

He had no answer, and until he did he couldn't return to Gwen.

* * *

Merlin thinks that perhaps Arthur was right, he was an idiot. An idiot because it hadn't occurred to him in the first place, really it was far too simple.

He stood pulling the key from where he had hidden it so that if he was taken from the cell, that there was no hint that Gwen had even been here. He was sweeping through the metal doorway before he even thought about it.

Which he supposed was why he almost bumped into Gwaine.

"Merlin!"

Merlin shook his head and Gwaine was quiet then and for one terrible second Merlin feared that Gwaine too hated him and was going to turn him into the guards, but then Gwaine smiled wearily and Merlin knew that even if things had changed Gwaine would never turn him in.

"Should I even ask?"

Merlin shook his head.

"Very well, I was on my way to see you actually. But – perhaps we should go."

Merlin finally seemed to realize what he hadn't in the mad dash to get back to Gwen and Arthur and subsequent meeting with Gwaine – they were standing in the middle of a torch lit hallway. Merlin for the second time in less than an hour felt like a complete imbecile.

Merlin nodded and then was slipping back into the shadows Gwaine behind him. They moved quickly through the hallways and up the stairs, stopping outside the door – where there were thankfully no guards – to Arthur and Gwen's chambers were Merlin glanced back at a nervous looking Gwaine.

"Merlin – what are you – "

"Helping."

"You didn't do this?"

Merlin isn't mad or hurt at the accusation, he finds that surprising, he merely shakes his head.

"No."

Gwaine looked down then and nodded, Merlin could see him itching to ask – something, but Merlin didn't have the time right now, he had to talk to Gwen, more importantly he had to get her permission to leave.

He opened the door and Gwaine followed him in.

Gwen was much as he left her earlier, sitting next to Arthur his hand in hers. She was whispering in his ear again and Merlin cleared his throat. She looked up then and rushed across the room at him pushing him down into a chair.

"Merlin, you look like death himself, honestly I think you look worse than some of the – "

"It does not matter, Gwen I need – "

"Of course it matters! You avoided telling me what exactly they did to you earlier, Merlin, but now – "

Gwen was trying to pull his shirt over his head and Merlin glared at a half concerned half amused looking Gwaine who was leaning against the door, the man clearly wasn't going to help.

"Gwen! Gwen, stop!"

Gwen glared at him but none the less stopped and stood in front of him with a look that Merlin remembered his mother wearing when he was younger and she knew he was trying to avoid doing chores.

"I will stop, only if you tell me if you are hurt."

"I'm fine Gwen, really."

"_Please_, Merlin, I don't want to worry about you too."

Something about that statement made him sigh and nod before speaking softly. still - he couldn't tell her about everything either.

"Gwen, its okay, they knocked me around a bit but it's nothing serious, really. It's okay, I promise, now about Arthur, Gwen I think – I need to leave."

"What?"

"WHAT!"

Merlin sighed and swept his eyes from Gwen to Gwaine before standing and beginning to pace from one side of the room to the other.

"I _think _I can follow the _aura_ of the sorcerer that cast this spell, but I have to leave to do so. I'm requesting you permission M'lady to leave Camelot to search for the person who cast this spell and to bring them back to end it."

Gwen stared at him and Gwaine pushed himself off of the door.

"You said _aura _explain."

Merlin didn't stop pacing.

"Every living thing has an _aura_. A _signature_. It's the outside manifestation of a person's soul, but when a person has magic, well the aura is a bit different. On a normal person the aura does nothing, it's there, but it doesn't actually do anything."

Merlin ran his hands through his hair.

"This part is a bit hard for me to explain because I never had to actually learn it. But when a person starts to learn magic – one of the first things they learn is how to manipulate their aura, you see everyone has the potential to be able to do magic to a varying degree, although not everyone should. They have the potential because they have an aura; an aura is in a sense magical."

Merlin turned towards them then to gage their reactions, Gwen looked the least shocked of the two and Merlin found that strange but didn't pursue it and instead resumed his pacing.

"You haven't explained how you could trace it."

"When someone casts a spell, it's in essence their aura actually doing the work, but because the old religion is about balance – well, you leave part of your aura behind with the magic, which is why after casting a spell that is too powerful a sorcerer will be exhausted because their aura is in shambles and has to repair itself."

"..So your, plan is to follow the little bit right back to the sorcerer."

"'s a good plan."

"It's a _terrible_ plan! If the sorcerer is hostile, you'll be _walking_ right in like – some kind of – "

"_That_ is why he won't be going alone."

Merlin spun around a tentative smile on his lips.

"You'll go with him?"

Gwaine nodded.

"Very well, what will we tell everyone else; Merlin's absence will be noticed."

"Say you're taking me to Lot, it's not terribly farfetched, I'm not from Camelot after all, I didn't grow up here, and I certainly wasn't born here."

Gwen nodded.

"Very well."

Gwaine strode forward then and clapped him on the back, grinning and laughing.

"Let's do this Merlin; it'll be like old times. A Knightly quest!"

And despite himself – rather it be the absurdity of the statement because the times weren't old, they were barely a few weeks old. Or the fact that Gwaine didn't hate him, was still his friend – Merlin finds himself grinning and laughing for the first time since this all began.

* * *

A/N: I know you were all hoping for 'the mark of Nimueh' this week but i have family that lives in NYC and New Jersey that after super storm Sandy we didn't hear from them until Thursday (they're okay, thank god) and i honestly didn't think about this story until Friday night. Also Merlinschannel on youtube closed their account and while merlinschanel is putting the episodes back up they're going slow. So i was wondering were you all watch Merlin.

Also this is my first time writing Gwaine, so i hope i did okay. I'm too tired to go and do review responses right now so i'll double up in the next chapter ok?

Also did you see this weeks episode? If Merlin ever does reveal his magic he's going to look like a hypocrite.


	8. The Mark of Nimueh

A/N review responses and final notes at the bottom.

* * *

Arthur found himself standing next to a corpse in the streets of Camelot as Gaius knelt over the man while Merlin stood off to the side looking vaguely disturbed. He sighed he could already tell he wouldn't like where this was going.

Gaius worked steadily and Merlin took a tentative step forward. Honestly for this powerful sorcerer he was far too squeamish. Didn't sorcerers work with dead things and potions and all the dead things that you put into potions?

"Aren't you scared?"

"Of what?"

"That you might catch whatever it is."

Gaius snorted.

"I'm the court physician, Merlin. This is part of my job. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of."

Gaius flipped the man over and Arthur's heart sunk. The dead man stared up at them through dead white eyes and Merlin took a step back. Arthur didn't blame him, the corpse was disturbing, and it was more disturbing because he remembered this.

"You were saying?"

"People mustn't see this. They'll panic."

Merlin nodded and was quick to find a sheet and cover the poor unfortunate man. The scene changed and Arthur now found himself in Gaius's chambers where Gaius was examining the man with a magnifying glass. Or at least he thought it was a magnifying glass. He really wasn't sure what it was.

"I've never seen anything like this before."

"Do you think it could be some kind of plague?"

"No. I fear that something like this could never come from nature. But who has this kind of power?"

"You think it's caused by magic?"

There was silence then, a silence that was interrupted by his own voice.

"Merlin!"

Merlin and Gaius shared a look then and Merlin hurried to the door, only for it to swing open in his face, his younger self looked – he looked annoyed and glancing at the sunlight coming through the window Arthur could guess at what.

He laughed because if his younger self thought this was bad – well, wait till he saw the stunts that Merlin would –

Arthur stopped himself there. Because once he got out of this spell nothing would be different.

"Erm...I'm on my way. Sorry I'm late."

His younger self sighed, before speaking, his tone dry, "Don't worry. I'm getting used to it." Then his eyes found the flower at Merlin's neck and he raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, er...Gwen, she gave it to me."

"Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now."

"Okay."

The door swung shut and Merlin spun on his heel, his feet already leading him back to the table where the man lay and where Gaius was.

"Gaius…"

"I heard."

Merlin's brow furrowed.

"Wait, why couldn't he just tell you himself?"

"Because that's the way it is. You're a servant."

"Wha...if he knew who I was, what I've done..."

Gaius sighed then.

"You'd be a dead servant. Right, get this covered up."

"Hey, I'm not your servant!"

Arthur snorted.

"No, you're my dogsbody. Come on, hurry up."

Merlin sighed and threw a sheet over the man before following an already retreating Gaius out of the door, and when the scene didn't dissolve Arthur followed behind, he sighed at the sight that awaited him. Knowing that everything turned out alright didn't dissolve the horror at seeing the corpse nor did it change anything.

"What's happened to him?"

Gaius knelt next to the man and held his forefingers to the man's pulse point before pulling back with a disappointed sigh.

"I don't know, Sire. It's the second case I've seen today. "

His father looked irritated at that.

"Why didn't you report it to me?"

"I was attempting to find the cause."

"What did you conclude?"

"I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. The scientific process is a long one. "

His father snorted dismissively at that and turned away from the man pacing the length of the room before rounding back to Gaius, who was still knelt next to the man. His father cleared his throat and spoke.

"What are you concealing from me?"

Gaius sighed, pushing himself to his feet.

"Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying in 24 hours, and its spreading fast. "

His father nodded.

"What is the cause?"

Gaius sighed again.

"I think you should say that the cause, the most likely cause, is sorcery."

And just like every time sorcery was mentioned his father's face lit up like a candle with fury. Arthur sighed.

"We must find who did this."

His younger self nodded.

"I will, father."

The king strode towards him then and bent so that his younger self would be the only one to hear his words. It didn't matter; Arthur remembered them just as well.

"_Conduct door to door searches. Increase your presence in the town. Double the guards on all the gates. And lend the physician your servant."_

His younger self looked confused at that.

"Merlin? But..."

"_I'm going to need Gaius to find a cure. He needs all the help we can give him. If Gaius is right, believe me, this city will be wiped out. This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We have to find this sorcerer, and quickly."_

Finally after a long moment his younger self nodded just like he remembered doing.

"Yes, father."

The scene changed. They were back in Gaius's chambers now, Merlin was leaned against a table as Gaius carried a flask with a – questionable substance, he wasn't really sure what it was, from the examining table to a lighted candle.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm examining the contents of that man's stomach."

Yes, he was quite glad he was off conducting searches then instead of stuck here with Gaius.

"Will that tell you who did it?"

Gaius shook his head.

"No, but it might tell us how it's spread. One thing I do know, this is magic of the darkest kind."

Merlin looked confused at that.

"Why would someone use magic like that?"

Gaius didn't look up though when he did speak his voice was harsh, probably harsher then he intended, Arthur concluded.

"Magic _corrupts_. People use it for their own ends."

Merlin looked worried then and he shook his head fast, and Arthur sighed because he could see in his mental eye only to clearly Merlin with a wound on his shoulder from Arthur's own mace, questioning if he was a monster.

"But not _all_ magic is bad. I know it isn't."

Gaius looked up then catching Merlin's eye.

"It's neither good nor bad. It's how you use it."

And then the door burst open startling both Gaius and Merlin. His younger self strode in followed by several guards who began to leaf through Gaius's papers and books.

"Sorry Gaius, we're searching every room in town."

"What for?"

"A sorcerer."

Arthur wondered why he didn't notice back then the way that Gaius almost subconsciously stepped in front of Merlin.

"But why would he be here?"

"I'm just doing my job."

"We've nothing to hide. Go on then, search."

Arthur nodded as his eyes swept around the room.

"All these books and papers?"

"My life's work, dedicated to the understanding of science. You are quite welcome to read through them if you wish."

His younger self looked, _well_ – he looked as disinterested at such a thought as Merlin looked when we was trying to explain to him how he was supposed to act. Gaius certainly was clever. He'd give him that. Still –

"What's this room up here?"

"Er, it's mine."

Gaius stepped in front of Merlin again then, shielding the young man almost completely from view. "And what do you expect to find in there?"

His younger self didn't even seem to notice instead he strode across the room, up the stairs, and into the tiny store room that had been converted to Merlin's bedroom.

"What've you done with the magic book I gave you?"

Arthur groaned as the scene changed because he could see how close he had probably come to discovering Merlin because he couldn't keep his bedroom neat and things that needed to be hidden hidden. The scene reappeared as the door fell shut and Gaius looked at a – at a Merlin that didn't look as concerned as he probably should. (1)

"We have to hide that book."

Merlin shook his head a small excited smile lighting up his face and Arthur groaned already seeing where this was headed, because in all the years he had known Merlin he had always known Merlin wasn't one for sitting around and doing nothing.

"No. We must use it. "

Gaius scoffed like a reasonable person would. But he could already see Merlin wasn't going to give up easily. _Stubborn, idiotic, fool_ he was.

"Don't be _stupid_."

"If I have this-this _legacy_ then what is it for? You keep telling me it's not for playing tricks."

"You _want_ to practice _magic_ when the King is hunting for _sorcerers_? _Are you mad_? Merlin, your life is _destined_ for more important things."

"But if I don't practice, then how will I get to be this great warlock?!"

Gaius looked at Merlin with something that could only be described as pity and Arthur was reminded of Hunith writing a letter to someone in Camelot, struggling with the idea that she would have to tell her child that he had to hide for the rest of his life.

_"What should I do Anette? How do I raise a child telling him that he has to hide what he is without making it seem like it's something to be ashamed of? How do I look him in the eye and tell him he has to hide who he is until the day he dies?"_

"There will come a time when your skills _will_ be recognized."

Merlin looked outraged at that.

"_When_?! How _long_ do I have to wait?"

"_Patience_ is a virtue, Merlin."

"Sitting by and doing nothing, _that's _a _virtue_?"

Gaius laid a hand on Merlin's shoulder then and the younger man flinched.

"Your time will come."

"I could cure that man we saw."

"I know it's tempting to use the way you find easiest, Merlin..."

"It is when it would save a life."

Arthur sighed. Was this the kind of decision every sorcerer was faced with? The good and the bad? Do I use the powers I have, or do I sit back because I know that if I'm discovered that by the laws of the land – no matter where I live – I will be killed?

"It's no good just saving one person. We have to discover how this illness is spreading."

"Arthur is out there right now looking for the sorcerer!"

Gaius sighed then, looking old and weary and he wondered if he already had an inkling of who could cast such a spell.

"A sorcerer who's powerful enough to do this will never be found searching the town."

Merlin looked stricken at that.

"So what can we do? "

"Hope that science can find the answer before it kills us all."

The scene changed. Another body was on the table this time a young woman dressed in silk, woven gold around her neck. A courtier then. Gaius stood next to the table a perplexed and grave look on his face while Merlin stood beside him nervously wringing his hands.

"What's different about this victim?"

"Er…she's a woman."

Arthur slapped his hand over his face because really that was – really one of the stupidest things Merlin had ever said. Gaius apparently shared his opinion; he looked equally as unimpressed as Arthur himself felt at Merlin's rather – dim proclamation.

"Sometimes I do wonder whether your magical talents were given to the right person. Anything else."

"Erm…she's a courtier."

Gaius nodded then.

"Ah."

"How does that help us?"

"Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town. So what does that mean?"

"Erm….that – that she hasn't spoken to any townspeople?"

Gaius looked pained.

"Yes, it suggests that the disease is not spread by contact."

"Oh, and they probably ate different food."

"Good, anything else?"

"Erm…I doubt they breathe the same air."

Arthur snorted.

"So what's the only thing they do share?"

"Water. Water? You think the disease is spread through water?"

Gaius sighed his eyes rolling back into his head for a moment before he nodded – his next remark making Arthur snort in laughter as he handed Merlin a bucket.

"Merlin, you're a prodigy."

The scene changed as all humor faded from Arthur's face at the sight that was before him. He only remembered that he couldn't touch the people in these memories when his hand passed through his distraught queen's shoulder.

"You have the sickness?"

Gwen shakes her head.

"My father! Please, Gaius, he's all I have."

"Gwen, I-I have no cure."

"I am begging you!"

"I wish there was something, anything, but so far the remedy is beyond what I can achieve."

Gaius took her other hand in his.

"I'm sorry Gwen."

She shakes her head tears falling from her dark eyes and staining her cheeks; she shook herself out of Gaius's hold, turned, and ran. Gaius sighed and Merlin stepped forward. He almost followed Gwen but he remembered his Queen was safe at home – this wasn't her tale, this was Merlin's.

"There must be something we can do!"

Gaius took the water from Merlin.

"My best. Let's hope that this can provide some answers."

"But that'll be too late for Gwen's father!"

"I fear you may be right."

Merlin looked outraged and Arthur's stomach sunk. The scene changed. Merlin as Merlin ducked into Morgana's old chambers as Gwen collected cloths while humming.

"How's your father? Is he feeling better?"

"Yeah, it's incredible. It's a miracle."

"His skin's clear, back to normal?"

"Yes."

Merlin grinned.

"Great!"

Gwen looked perplexed.

"No, no, I am, It's a miracle."

"But how did you know he was well?"

"Er, because you're smiling."

"That really weird because I haven't told anyone, but you know. How could you know?"

"Yeah, alright, you finally found out, I'll tell you. I'm psychic."

Gwen giggled.

"No you're not."

"It's true."

"Alright what am I thinking?"

"That I'm not psychic."

The scene changed as Arthur's foreboding grew. He sighed when he saw Gaius's outraged face, so his Queen had been arrested already then, by her future king no less, he sighed as he took in Merlin's shocked face, he had to remind himself that despite this things did turn out okay.

"What have you done?!"

"What?"

"I warned you! Oh, I understand. You thought you were doing good."

"I couldn't let her father die knowing I could cure him!"

"Didn't you think it might look a bit suspicious, the curing of one man?"

"Well then, all I have to do is...I'll cure everyone! No one will ever have to know it was magic."

"It's too late they think Gwen's a sorceress! They think she caused the disease!"

"But she didn't!"

Merlin turned and rushed towards the door.

"Oh, and how are you going to prove that?!"

Merlin stopped for a moment before he was gone. The scene changed. He was back in Gaius's chambers where a red eyed Merlin sat at a table across from Gaius. Both men looked understandably sorrow and Arthur sighed.

"I thought I was doing good, that curing Gwen's father would help her. I thought I was saving a life. It seemed so simple…"

Merlin hung his head.

"An easy solution is like a light in a storm, Merlin. Rush for it at your peril, for it may not always lead you to a safe harbor."

Merlin sighed.

"I can see that now."

"How many times have I warned you about the responsibilities of being a warlock?"

Merlin sighed his eyes not leaving the tabletop as he stood.

"I must see her."

Arthur followed Merlin down to the dungeons where the guards had placed his queen passing a sobbing Morgana on the way, Arthur had to remind himself that the sobbing woman would become a monster to get himself not to stop and try and do something despite knowing that it would be useless.

Merlin stopped outside the door to the cell and swallowed his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. He cleared his throat once and then spoke.

"Gwen."

His queen rushed forward then.

"Thank you."

Merlin swallowed.

"What for?"

"For coming to see me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Well…"

"It's alright. Don't worry about me. There's no point crying about it. I mean…I mean, I'm not saying that you were going to cry about me. Obviously I don't think that."

Merlin looked down.

"Oh Gwen. I can't have this happen."

"Please, one thing. You – you don't have to, but…"

"What?"

"Remember me."

Merlin swallowed.

"You're not going to die. I'm not going to let this happen."

And in that moment Arthur saw a decision made and he – he couldn't help but feel grateful to Merlin for trying. The scene changed. Arthur found himself back in Gaius's chambers as a scared and annoyed looking Gaius led Merlin back in.

"Arthur's the idiot."

Gaius sighed.

"No. He was right to do what he did, and, thankfully, he saved you from your own stupidity."

Merlin threw his hands up in the air.

"What else could I do? It's my fault Gwen's going to die!"

"Yes, but you don't prove her innocence by offering to jump into the flames. Yo do it by finding out what's causing the disease!"

"Well whatever it is, one thing's for sure: Arthur isn't going to find it. He thinks he is so sharp! But even when I told him I was a sorcerer, he still couldn't see it!"

"Sometimes they're pretty hard to spot."

"Well, maybe I should go around wearing a pointy hat."

Arthur snorted.

"I don't think you'll find one big enough anyway, forget that. If we're goingto save Gwen, we have to find out what's contaminating the water."

Arthur sighed as the scene changed as a severely shaken up Merlin and a grave Gaius poured over a book.

"Here. It was an Afanc."

"A…a what?"

"A beast born of clay, and conjured up only by the most powerful sorcerer. Now we have to find a way to defeat it. But where?"

They both turned to a shelf full of books. Merlin groaned.

"That could take days. Gwen'll be dead by then!"

"Have you got a better idea?"

Arthur sighed as the scene changed because he had a feeling where Merlin would find out. At least he wasn't shocked when the giant head of the Great Dragon popped up in front of Merlin who at this point didn't even looked shocked.

"I need to know how to defeat an afanc."

"Yes, I suppose you do."

"Will you help me?"

"Trust the elements that are at your command."

Merlin looked puzzled.

"Elements? But what is it I have to do?"

"You cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin. Arthur is the other."

Arthur sighed clearly the dragon was no help, not that he was expecting it to be.

"I-I don't understand. Just tell me what it is I have to do."

Arthur sighed as the scene changed to the interior of Gaius's chambers where Merlin was hopelessly looking through the shelves of books.

"Merlin, what are you doing?"

"Looking for a book."

"You going to tell me which one?"

"A book of elements."

Gaius looked perplexed.

"Elements?"

"Yes. Which one would I find them in?"

"Well, most of them. The study of base elements is at the very heart of the scientific process."

Merlin sighed.

"But how would they help me kill the Afanc?"

"Well, the Afanc is a creature made from earth and water. That's two of the four base elements."

"What about the other two?"

Gaius was quiet for a moment before his eyes widened and a slow grin began to creap onto his face as he turned back towards Merlin his eyes dancing in excitement.

"Well, perhaps they will destroy it. You want fire. Wind and fire. How did you find this out?"

"Erm...I just knew, you know? One of my powers."

Gaius looked doubtful.

"What else do your powers tell you?"

"That I am only one side of a coin. The brighter side, obviously."

Arthur snorted.

"And who's the other side?"

"I think that might be Arthur."

Gaius seemed to be about to say something but he was interrupted as the door swung open with a bang as a red rimmed eyed Morgana came sweeping in a cloak of rich blue velvet around her shoulders. He had almost forgotten this side of the witch. The one that cared.

"They're bringing forward the execution. We have to prove Gwen's innocence."

Gaius looked up.

"We're trying."

Morgana stepped forward then her face crumpling.

"Please, just tell me what I can do to help."

"We need Arthur."

She looked perplexed.

"Arthur?"

"There's a monster, an Afanc, in the water supply. That's what's causing the plague."

"Well, we must tell Uther."

Gaius shook his head.

"The Afanc's a creature forged by magic. Telling Uther wouldn't save Gwen. He'd just blame her for conjuring it."

"So what are we to do?"

"We need to destroy it. Then the plague will stop and Uther may see sense."

She nodded understanding filling her green eyes.

"And that's why you need Arthur."

"He's our best chance. But he won't want to disobey the King."

Morgana nodded then.

"Leave that to me."

The scene changed into one that Arthur remembered. He followed behind himself, Morgana and Merlin as they made their way down through the dank tunnel that led to the kingdoms main water supply. He sighed as the witch smirked at his younger self.

"Scared I'll show you up?"

"Father will slam us both in chains if he knew I'd endangered you."

Morgana merely scoffed.

"Well good thing he doesn't know about it then."

His younger self stepped closer to her then, his hand landing on her shoulder.

"I'm telling you, Morgana, turn back. You could get hurt."

She smiled then, a tender look that he remembers only seeing rarely flashing across her face. Was this the woman that would enslave the people of Camelot? Was this the woman that was so full of magic that it had corrupted her?

Because right now, looking at her, he couldn't see it.

"You could too – " then as if to cover for herself " – if you don't get out of my way."

"How are we going to find it?"

There was a distant growl and Merlin shifted closer to the other two who looked just as shaken by the sound. "I just hope we do before it finds us." They reached the water source relatively quickly and his younger self was quick to take charge.

"Spread out."

They split up then only to rush back together at Morgana's scream, the beast was in front of her, his younger self made a swipe for it, but just as fast as it had come it disappeared back into the long shadows.

"Where is it?"

"I think it's gone that way."

They nodded and Arthur followed them again stopping to stand behind Merlin. The beast came into full view then, all black and grotesque and dripping, just as he remembered, his younger self took a swing at it but the beast merely swept the sword from his hands along with Morgana's torch.

The beast growled then and advanced on his younger self, he remembered the smell of the putred breath and he remembers the feeling of wrongness that seemed to carpet the creature. He remembered being terrified and having no clue what to do until – "

"Arthur, use the torch!"

His younger self swung the torch as the beast cowered and from his spot behind Merlin he heard the spell that ended the beast's life along with the disillusion that this had only been his victory. No, it had been all of theirs; he wondered why he had never seen that. He wondered why he had never heard Merlin.

"Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan."

The beast was covered in flames and just like that it was over. The scene changed. He found himself in Gaius's chambers as Merlin and Gaius sat at the table eating – well he wasn't sure what they were eating exactly.

"This fish didn't come from the water, did it?"

Gaius sighed then, his brow furrowing.

"Well, where else is it going to come from? The water's fine now. That's not your worry. This is the work of a very powerful sorcerer. I only hope you didn't come to her attention."

"Doubt it. Well no one else seems to appreciate my skills. I just want someone to see me for who I am."

Gaius sighed then.

"One day, Merlin. One day."

Merlin looked perplexed.

"One day what?"

Gaius smiled, humor lighting up his eyes.

"One day people won't believe what an idiot you were."

Merlin's reply was dry.

"Thanks."

Arthur's laughter still hadn't faded as the scene changed.

* * *

**A/N:**

**1**: i believe at this point Merlin isn't as cautious as he should be, i actually don't think he learns true caution until the witchfinder incident.

Can you believe the resent episode's? Poor Gwen's been brainwashed. Poor Merlin is in a pickle (i really want a pickle now lol) and Arthur was almost killed. Oh dear. Also sorry for the wait, i had a huge paper due on the holocaust for both my global history and english honors class and it kind of took over my life, i actually only finished it earlier. Also i hope this chapter wasn't to dialogue heavy.

Now onto reviews!

**EveBB**: I'm glad you liked it. Yes i actually really do enjoy writing that.

**Medchan**: I honestly have mixed feeling's towards Uther, i don't like the things he's done but the part of me that could hate him is really overcome by the part of me that pities him because he let hate overcome his sense of reasoning and it led to his downfall. I actually only ever started shipping them after she turned into what she is now, but never as a happy good relationship. The only way they work for me is in the tragic what could have been way or if they're reincarnated. I'm actually working on a fic with that idea. (shameless self promoting i know, I'm terrible)

**Spinnerofdark**: I totally agree. You find out in the next chapter.

**Nameless Secret Keeper**: Thanks, i'll correct that. Thank you and sorry for the wait!

**04**: I plan on doing all the seasons although because of resent developments I'm not sure i can. I agree with you there, half the fun of suspense is the suspense.

**Ruby890**: Thanks. I hope it was! Sigans, oh god i can't wait for that one as for the questing beast and a whole bunch.

**Nebriniel Peredhil**: Boy i hope i copied that over correctly. Thank you so much!

**Angeleyenc**: i'm sorry for the wait!

**Karreana**: Thank you, i'm sorry for the wait!

**1983Sarah**: I got really excited and thought I'd found a Labyrinth fan until i realized that it was released in 86. Oh well the year you were born i'm thinking? Yes i'm glad Gwen and Gwaine are both willing to put their trust in Merlin, even though the original draft they didn't. But that would have been too cruel of me plus i felt like Gwaine would never betray Merlin, he's just to loyal and Gwen - well her character is much more open then Arthur's and i figured her reaction would be more tolerant. I hope i didn't disappoint you!

**JayJay-san**: Thank you and thank you for the suggestion of were i could watch Merlin.

**Nameless Secret Keepe**r: Good i'm glad, i was a little worried about my explanations being not very good! Sorry for the wait!

**Angeleyenc**: Yes Gwaine is just amazing XD sorry for the wait!

**TheImpossiblePen**: Thanks. Yeah it was terrifying but everyone's okay and i couldn't be more thankful. Yes it did thank you!

**saroura92**: Sorry but i promised to do every single episode i could. I hope I made it interesting. I hated it so much as well!

**Ruby890**: Merlin was an idiot but i can see his reasoning as well. Still...i just didn't like it. I don't but Youtube works ( i found someone else who puts the episodes up) thanks for the suggestions!

**Kitkat**: thanks for the suggestions!


	9. The Poisioned Chalice

_**A/n Final notes and reveiw responses at the bottom! Also, sorry for being gone for so long! My life kind of got in the way of writing for a while.**_

* * *

Arthur winced as the afternoon light nearly blinded him; he squinted and then growled when he caught sight of the woman that was hurriedly picking up what appeared to be bed linens.

"Hi. I'm Merlin."

The woman smiled and took the hand that was offered to her.

"Cara. You're Arthur's servant. That must be such an honor."

"Oh, yeah. It is. Well, you know someone's got to keep the place running."

Arthur snorted and stepped back next to Gaius who was watching the whole – altercation with a firm scowl; it was something Arthur could agree with.

"Thank you, Merlin."

Merlin looked confused until the woman laid a hand on top of the stack of linens. She smiled and finally Merlin seemed to get it, and nodded, a blush that made _Arthur_ embarrassed for him staining the man's pale cheeks.

"Oh, right. Yeah. Er, no problem."

She smiled and turned, calling her partings back over her shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you."

Merlin looked dazed and Arthur sighed, shaking his head.

"Shouldn't you be busy running the place?"

Arthur laughed.

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in his chambers as Merlin reeled backwards from a stack of clothes fanning his face, the dark haired man coughed and turned to his younger self with a look of disgust.

"When's the last time these were cleaned?"

"Last year some time. Before the Feast of Beltane."

Merlin frowned; he cautiously picked up the jacket before setting it back down.

"Did it end in a _food fight_?"

His younger self smirked.

"Don't all feasts?"

"I wouldn't know. The airs and graces of the court are a mystery to me."

"Not after tonight they won't be."

Merlin smiled then.

"I'm going to be at the banquet?"

"Not quite. You'll be there to make sure my cup doesn't run dry. If I have to sit through Bayard's boring speeches, I don't see why you should get out of it. Be sure to polish the buttons. Do you want to see what you'll be wearing tonight?"

Arthur's heart sunk.

Merlin frowned and pulled at his jacket and plain blue shirt.

"Won't this do?"

"No. Tonight you'll be wearing the official ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot."

Arthur couldn't bring himself to laugh at the look on Merlin's face when he knew what was to happen at the feast. He should have known. Oblivious to the King, his younger self smirked and Merlin looked disgusted for the second time in less than five minutes.

"You can't be serious."

The scene changed.

They were in the banquet hall now and Arthur found himself standing between Gwen – who appeared to be only barely restraining her laughter – and Merlin.

"Nice hat."

She giggled and Merlin scowled and ripped the hat from his head. Merlin's head swiveled until he was staring at 'Cara' and Gwen smiled at Merlin.

"She's pretty isn't she? For a handmaiden, I mean?"

Merlin once again looked dazed.

"She's pretty for a princess, let alone a handmaiden."

Gwen hummed and turned away from him then as the crowd applauded and Bayard stepped forward, a merry grin on his face.

"People of Camelot, for a great many years we have been mortal enemies, and the blood of our men stains the ground from the walls of Camelot to the gates of Mercia. And though we remember those who have died, we must not allow any more to join them."

"As a symbol of our goodwill, and of our newfound friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets to you, Uther, and to your son, Arthur, in the hope that our friendship may last."

He closed his eyes then, he didn't need to see to know what happened next, except he did because the moment he heard 'Cara's voice alight with what he knew must be fake concern he knew there were things he had missed the first time around.

And wasn't _that_ becoming a trend?

He followed behind the two, leaving Bayard droning on in the background.

"Tonight we toast a new beginning for our peoples. We look towards a future free from the toils of war…."

The two figures ducked into a corner of the empty and darkened corridors, 'Cara' looked properly distressed but unlike the concerned Merlin, he knew it was a farce, he knew what was going to happen, he knew and he couldn't change anything.

He wasn't used to being _powerless_.

"It wasn't until I saw him give the goblet to Arthur that I realized..."

Merlin frowned.

"Whoa, slow down. Start from the beginning."

"Two days ago, I was bringing Bayard his evening meal. We're supposed to knock. He didn't _expect_ me to walk in..."

"So what are you trying to say?"

"If he knows I said anything, he will _kill_ me."

Merlin lay a hand on her shoulder.

"I would not let that happen to you, I promise. Please tell me what you saw."

"Bayard is no friend of Camelot. He craves the kingdom for himself. "

"Cara...Tell me. What has Bayard done with the goblet?"

"He believes that if he kills Arthur, Uther's spirit will be broken and Camelot will fall."

"What has he done with the goblet?"

Cara looked properly distressed here.

"I saw him putting something in it."

"What?"

"I _shouldn't_! He'll _kill_ me!"

"Please, tell me! Was it poison?"

The woman nodded and Merlin who, having fallen for it, turned and dashed away, the last thing he saw before the scene changed was the smirk on 'Cara's' lips. His stomach dropped. He closed his eyes quickly. He _didn't_ want to see this. But then he opened them just as quickly. But _see_ it he would.

His father grinned.

"And to fallen warriors on both sides."

They all – including his younger self – raised their glasses in a toast and just as the tainted liquid would have gone down his own throat the doors burst open. He remembered being annoyed that Merlin would be so idiotic as to interrupt such an event like this.

He wanted to close his eyes _now_.

"Stop! It's poisoned, don't drink it!"

He ran up to his younger self then and grabbed the goblet taking it into his hands and pulling it far away from his younger self.

"What?"

"Merlin, what are you doing?"

"Bayard laced Arthur's goblet with poison!"

"This is an _outrage_!"

The sound of swords being drawn briefly deafened him.

"Order you men to put down their swords, you're outnumbered."

"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!"

His father turned towards Merlin then.

"On what grounds do you base this accusation?"

His younger self sighed, self sufferingly and stepped forward with a confident air. Arthur really just wanted to punch him, and wondered why it was only now that he recognized the sound of the thousands of bells he should have heard that _screamed_ _danger_. And then, _protect_.

"I'll handle this." His younger self smiled and grabbed the goblet from Merlin's hand. "Merlin, you idiot. Have we been at the slow gin again?" His father taking no note of his younger self's attempt's to diffuse the situation stepped forward and towards Merlin with a threatening air.

"Unless you want to be strung up, you will tell me _why_ you think it's poisoned."

Merlin swallowed.

"He was seen lacing it."

"By whom?"

"_I can't say."_

Bayard scoffed.

"I won't listen to this anymore."

"Pass me the goblet."

"If you're telling the truth…"

"I am."

"Then you have nothing to fear, do you?"

Bayard sheathed his sword and reached for the goblet but his father tutted and held it out of his reach. "No, if it does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself."

His father forced the goblet at Merlin.

"_He'll_ drink it."

Arthur couldn't hear through the roar in his ears. He'd thought Merlin was nothing but an idiot who was out to cause trouble, he hadn't believed and then – he didn't want to _see_ Merlin crumple to the floor, he didn't want to _see_ the look in Gaius's eyes, didn't want to _see_ his darling Guinevere's fear filled eyes.

He didn't want to remember how it felt to know that Merlin was dying. But if there was a _reason_ he was seeing this, if there was a _reason_ he was being shown all these things – then he had to see it, he knew things turned out all right, still that moment when –

He watched Merlin fall, down, down, down.

- He thought Merlin was already dead, was impossible to describe. He closed his eyes and the scene changed.

He found himself in Gaius's chambers once again as his younger self almost gently lay a pale Merlin down on the spare bed. "– He's struggling to breathe, Gwen, fetch me some water and a towel." The chambers were in chaos and in the middle of it was his younger self looking guilty and just a tad lost.

"Is he going to be alright?"

His younger self was ignored and he remembered being confused, and at the time, though he would never admit it, terrified.

"He's burning up!"

"You can cure him, can't you Gaius?"

Gaius looked sad, and old, and every bit as terrified as his younger self felt.

"I won't know until I can identify the poison. Pass me the goblet."

Gaius looked it over, spinning it around and around until the glinting jewels became dizzying, he sighed when Gaius finally found what he was looking for and pulled it out with a pair of tweezers – or what he _thought_ were tweezers.

"Ah. There is something stuck on the inside."

"What is it?"

"It looks like a flower petal of some kind."

Guinevere's voice was a background roar.

"His brow's on fire."

"Keep him cool; it'll help control his fever."

Gaius franticly flipped through a book of what Arthur thought were herbs until finally he let out a sound of triumph and began to read.

_Ah_. The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower. It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the Forest of Balor. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree. A Cockatrice guards the forest. Its venom is potent. A single drop would mean certain death. Few who have crossed the Mountains of Isgaard in search of the Mortaeus flower have made it back alive."

His younger self swallowed.

"Sounds like fun."

Gaius looked up alarmed.

"Arthur, it's too dangerous."

He remembers appreciating the sentiment but –

"If I don't get the antidote, what happens to Merlin?"

–The man who just saved him – his life was more important.

Gaius sighed then.

"The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death . He may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually he will die."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in his own chambers, standing over the fire as Morgana entered. He had _forgotten_ this.

"Say what you like about the food, but you can't beat our feast for entertainment."

"Morgana – "

He looked up then.

"– I'm sorry, I should have made sure you were alright."

"I'm disappointed actually. I was looking forward to clumping a couple around the head with a ladle."

Despite themselves, both Arthur's snorted.

"I'm sure the guards could have handled Bayard and his men."

"Yeah, but why let the _boys_ have all the fun?"

"Morgana, you shouldn't get involved. It's dangerous."

She snorted then and he remembered who he was looking at, what this woman would become, but he couldn't bring himself to hate her because in this moment she had been just what he had _needed_, she had been the _push_ that spurred him into action.

He wondered what happened to her to twist her so spectacularly. Was it really magic? Was that all it was?

"Spare me the lecture; I've already had it from Uthur."

"If it's any consolation, you weren't the only one."

She smiled then, all dark hair and green eyes.

"Not that I listen to him_. Sometimes you've got to do what you think is right, and damn the consequences."_

His younger self looked at her then.

"You think I should go?"

"It doesn't matter what I think."

But all the same he had _known_, he did _know_, that she had wanted him to go and save Merlin in that moment.

"If I don't make it back, who will be the next king of Camelot? There's more than just my life at stake."

"And what kind of king would Camelot want? One that would risk his life to save that of a lowly servant?" She drew his sword then, the metal glinting in the firelight. "Or one who does what his father tells him to?" She curtsied and handed it to him.

The scene changed.

His Guinevere sat next to a fevered Merlin her hand on his forehead. A frown marred her lips and she turned to Gaius.

"He's getting hotter."

Merlin turned his head into her palm.

"_Him, Liffrea, wuldres, wealdend, woroldare forgeaf."_

He was muttering spells! The _idiot_.

"What language is _that_?"

Gaius looked concerned and frowned as he picked up the boys wrist.

"None, the fever's taken hold. None of those wards are his own. His pulse is weaker."

Arthur noticed the rash on Merlin's arm just as Guinevere did, she reached down to touch it but Gaius snatched her hand back and raised the arm so he could stare at it up close. She frowned and looked down at Merlin.

"What is it?"

But Gaius wasn't paying attention he was now franticly flipping through a book.

"That can't be _right_. The rash isn't supposed to appear until the final stage," then "It says here that once a rash appears, death will follow within two days."

Gwen looked up sharply and he could see the fear in her eyes.

"You said he had _four_ days."

"Something increased the flowers potency. It warns that the effects of the Mortaeus will be more rapid in an enchantment is used during the flowers preparation."

She frowned.

"An enchantment? But Bayard's no sorcerer."

Gaius nodded.

"No he _isn't_…..it _can't_ have been. She wouldn't _dare_ come here. Unless…."

"Unless what?"

"What happened to that _girl_?"

"Which girl?"

"Just before Merlin burst into the hall one of Bayard's serving girls took him outside."

Gwen nodded then.

"She had dark hair. Very beautiful."

"Find her. Quickly."

Oblivious to everything, Merlin rolled over still muttering.

"_Arthur….swa…."_

The scene changed and Arthur found himself at Merlin's bedside some time had passed and now Gaius sat in Gwen's place, his hand on Merlin's arm, turning the angry red arm this way and that. Merlin stirred but just as quickly fell back under.

He looked up as his Guinevere entered a troubled frown on her face.

"Let me guess, she wasn't there."

"No one has seen her since the banquet. Who is she?"

"_Not_ who she claims to me."

"But you know, don't you?"

"_Cara_. Though, that's not her name, not her real name, anyway."

"Then who is she?"

"A powerful sorceress."

"Well, we should tell Uther. Maybe he could send riders out after her."

"No, she'll be long gone. It's impossible to know where, though…" then, "_Oh_ no…."

Gwen looked concerned then.

"What?"

"She knows the only place an antidote can be found is in the Forest of Balor. Arthur could be walking into a trap."

Merlin's fevered mutterings then, were the only sound.

"_Arthur….Arthur…."_

It was night now both Gaius and Guinevere sat at Merlin's side, both holding a hand. Arthur was having a hard time thinking of his mantra of '_it all ends okay'_ when Merlin was whimpering like a new born animal that had been abandoned.

Merlin twitched in his sleep, his throat working.

"_Arthur, it….it's a trap. It's a trap…."_

Guinevere looked over at Gaius, her thumb stroking the skin of Merlin's hand.

"His fever's getting worse, isn't it?"

Gaius sighed, old and weary.

"The poison's setting in."

"_eft gewunigen wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume."_

Gaius hushed him and then turned to Guinevere.

"Could you fetch me some more Wolfbane?"

Guinevere nodded and hastily stood.

"Yes, of course."

She left then and the few candles keeping the room a light flickered casting shadows on both Merlin and Gaius. Gaius who was gripping Merlin's hand tightly and was staring down at the young man's face with a kind of aged sadness.

"Merlin, you _must_ fight it."

The scene changed, not much time had passed because Gaius was still alone, but in the short time Merlin had become even more restless.

"_Arthur. It's too dark. To dark. Fromum feohgiftum on faeder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum."_

Then something glowed and Gaius lifted the sheets folding them back to reveal a glowing ball of blue light tucked neatly in Merlin's hand. A very familiar blue light and Arthur choked because, _fuck_, he knew that light.

_That_ light had saved him.

"Merlin, what are you doing?"

Merlin didn't answer; instead he began to twist, as if to fight off an enemy, but in reality only managed to get himself tangled.

"_Leave them, Arthur…"_

And then.

"_Go. Save yourself. Follow the light. Go faster. Follow the light! Move, climb! "_

Finally Merlin stilled, the ball of light disappearing the same time he knew it must have disappeared in the cave, because it had done what it needed to.

Merlin had saved him again.

But now he was still, and Arthur knew he wouldn't like what came next.

The scene changed and Arthur found himself blinking in the sunlight streaming through the windows in Gaius's chambers.

"He hasn't got much longer. Has Arthur got the flower."

Guinevere closed her eyes and then sighed.

"I don't _know_. Uther won't allow anyone to see him. Is there nothing we can do to help?"

Gaius sighed.

"Only the leaf of the Mortaeus flower can save him."

"And we have to find out if Arthur has it." Then, quieter, "I _could_ sneak into the dungeon."

Gaius looked up.

"That would be very dangerous."

Merlin wheezed, and both Gaius and Gwen's eyes met and Arthur found himself loving her a little more in that moment.

"I _have_ to; he'll _die_ if I don't."

Gaius nodded.

"Be careful."

The scene changed, he watched as Guinevere rushed in a crushed flower in her hand, she handed it to Gaius and looked anxiously around the room.

"How is he?"

"His breathing's worse. We have to hurry."

Gaius nodded as Guinevere settled herself at Merlin's side and Gaius hurriedly began to work on grinding up the flower, only to stop.

"The posion was created using magic. We may need magic to make an antidote."

And Arthur knew that before the purge Gaius had been a sorcerer, knew that he had sworn to stop practicing and in that moment he knew that Gaius had broken that oath for a raven haired nineteen year old idiot, who somehow could endear himself to anyone.

He also found he wasn't angry, only relieved.

"But we _can't_. It's forbidden. _Even_ if we could."

"I'll try and make it work without it. _Oh_, I need some fresh water."

She nods and takes the bowel he offered leaving the chambers in a clamber, Gaius doesn't notice though he only pulls the bowel closer to his face and frowns before beginning to recite.

"_Sythan…"_

He stopped and glanced around, his eyes finding Merlin.

"_Sythan arrest wearth feasceaft funden. Denum efter dome. Dreamleas gebad he gewinnes longsum."_

The potion simmered and frothed and sizzled and Gaius smiled as Gwen rushed in handing him a full bowel of water before rushing to Merlin's side.

"Thank you."

He pours the still frothing liquid into a small cup and went to Merlin's side.

"Hold his nose."

Guinevere does as is asked of her and then Gaius poured the frothing mess into Merlin's open mouth, before holding it closed and massaging Merlin's throat.

"Swallow, Merlin. Swallow it."

"He's stopped breathing, what's happening? Gaius?"

Gaius didn't answer only laid his ear to Merlin's chest and in that moment Arthur knew what was to be said.

"His _heart_ has _stopped_."

But, Merlin was _alive_, he was _alive_ and whole, and back in Camelot, in the dungeon's, but even so he was _alive_ and – he was at least - had him being here changed something? Would he awake to a world without Merlin, a Merlin that had died years ago?

Would he awake to a different world then the one he knew?

He didn't know, all he knew was this moment hurt more than the moment he found out what Merlin was – how he had been lied to – and that – that had hurt the most hadn't it? – and, oh god, Merlin's heart had stopped. Merlin who was awaiting his fate in a cell, Merlin who he –

"He's dead."

"He can't be, he can't be, it was his destiny – "

Gaius stood then, quickly followed by Gwen who folded into Gaius's chest, crying.

"It's my fault. If I'd have got here sooner. If I'd have been quicker."

She muttered and then sobbed.

"No, no, it was me; I should've looked after him better. It's my fault."

But it was really Arthur's fault.

Then:

"That's _disgusting_. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're old enough to be her grandfather."

They both looked up then.

"_Merlin_…you're _alive_."

Merlin grinned weak bly.

"No, I'm the ghost come back to haunt you."

Arthur snorted. Merlin was – he wasn't –

He was alive.

Then Guinevere kissed him and Arthur stared wide eyed, because _Merlin_ – and _Guinevere_ – and _fuck_, well he hadn't _expected_ that. He wasn't _jealous_ that Merlin had kissed her _first_, not in the least, still he did clench his fists a bit too tight and perhaps feel that Merlin deserved to muck out the stables sometime earlier then after the week he was given to recover fully.

Still he was alive. Still alive in Camelot, in the dungeon's, and what did this change?

He didn't know.

"Sorry, I just…I thought you were dead."

"It's fine. It's more than fine….erm…what happened? The last thing I remember is drinking the wine."

The scene changed.

Gaius and Merlin were sitting at the table, a blanket wrapped tightly around Merlin's shoulders.

"Arthur may give you a hard time, but at heart he's a man of honor. There aren't many who'd have risked what he did for a servant."

"It all would've been for nothing if you didn't know how to make the antidote."

Gaius nodded and pointed a finger at Merlin's still full plate.

"Eat your dinner."

"I still don't understand why she went to all the trouble of framing Bayard, she could've just kept quiet and killed Arthur."

"But destroying Arthur and Camelot wasn't all she was after. She knew you would be forced to drink that wine. It was you she wanted to kill. Seems someone else knows you're destined for great things, Merlin."

There was a strange tint of foreshadowing in those words.

The scene changed.

* * *

_A/N: **Fuck**, just **no**, my babies, **Merlin, Kilgharrah, and Arthur**. And then - it ends in three episodes. The only consolation is i live in the states and it will be here in January ( i believe) and i can watch it again. But wasn't the whole part of Merlin to show Arthur and Merlin before they did all these great things, and they can't do these great things if they go off and die. **Oh god, why? **_

_I've become to attached._

_**Question for you: Favorite Merlin Pairing?**_

_**Bonus Question for you: Your theory for the end is?**_

_Now for the reviews!_**  
**

**Mika271170: **Thanks so much, i'm glad you liked it!

**CarolinaEirasSa**: I honestly thought i was the first to think of this. (facepalm) but i'm glad mine isn't boring! One of the things i hate most is when one starts a story with two characters that they need to develop to make an ending believable, but only focuses on one and then just ends it picture perfectly. I don't want that to ever be something i write, and i'm glad i'm succeeding so far.

Thank you!

**Saroura92**: Indeed he is! :D

**1983Sarah**: oh don't worry, just look at mine!

**TrickyVicky**: Thanks!

**Angeleyenc**: Yes Gwen, but she's back now. Thanks!

**Amethyst M:** Thanks!

**Ruby890**: Thanks! And thanks again for the site! Now heres the thing, i have a certain point in this story that i want Arthur to realize everything. It's not yet. So subconsciously and when things like - Merlin being poisoned - are happening Arthur is going to be all protective. But consciously - he's not there yet. Basically he's going to be a hypocrite for a while. Unfortunately. But i hope that when it does finally click it will meet everyone's expectations.

**Nameless Secret Keeper:** Glad to see i wasn't the only one who found those parts funny!

**Gergiaj3**: Thanks!

**Iamsherlocked1450**: Thanks and i plan to!

_**Finally Thank you to all who participated in my little AN pole, i think i know where i'm going as far as Merlin's side of the story now, there are a few changes that i have made to my story map that i hope make this story better. **_


	10. Lancelot

_**A/N review responses at the bottom along with final thoughts!**_

* * *

Merlin was picking mushrooms. Excluding all the puns that he could made from that Arthur found that he already knew something bad was about to happen because – well, when did something _good_ happen to anyone from Camelot in the woods?

So really, he was only mildly surprised when a Griffin burst out of the bush, and Merlin – in true Merlin fashion – turned and ran, and wasn't he _supposed_ to be powerful, couldn't he just magic something to stop the creature?

And again, in true Merlin fashion – just when it counts the most – he trips. Arthur doesn't know if he should panic, laugh at the sheer clumsiness, or yell at the idiot that was just sitting there with a hand over his face like that would save him!

All in all Arthur was quite glad when a man burst through the underbrush holding a sword and lunging at the Griffin. The creature seemed to be distracted by the metal of the sword and gave a feral growl but retreated enough that the man – who Arthur had yet to see the face of – could grab an ashen faced Merlin by the hand and drags him behind an old and partially rotted fallen tree.

They waited a few tense moments before Merlin peeked his head over the tree trunk and sighed in what could only be described as relief.

"It's gone. You saved my life. I'm Merlin."

And then Arthur got the first proper view of the man who had just saved Merlin, and to his great shock it was –

"Lancelot."

Arthur sighed and suppressed the anger and the sadness that seeing Lancelot again brought, remembering only too well what would become of this man.

Merlin clasped Lancelot's hand in his own and gave it a shake as the scene changed. He was in Gaius's chambers now, as Lancelot stared out the window into what must be the square and Merlin watched on.

"Ever since I was a child I've dreamed of coming here. It's my life's ambition to join the knights of Camelot. I know what you're thinking I-I expect too much. After all, who am I? They have their pick of the best and the bravest in the land…"

"Lancelot?"

The man turned to face the smiling Merlin.

"Yes?"

"They're going to _love_ you."

"They are?

"I've seen you in action. You could _shame_ the great Arthur himself."

"I hardly think so."

"In fact, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to talk to him right now?"

Lancelot looked shocked.

"You know Arthur?"

"Oh yes."

Merlin smiled and stood, turning on his heel and leaving a gaping Lancelot behind him. The scene changed and Arthur found himself standing next to Merlin who was holding pieces of his younger self's armor.

"Grummund's the third to fail this month. How am I meant to defend Camelot with rubbish like that?"

Merlin pierced his lips and lent backwards, so he was farther in the shade. He could see the wheels spinning in his head and he could remember oh to well what the servants next words were.

"Well, I think I might be able to help."

"You, Merlin? You haven't the faintest idea what it takes to become a knight. Courage, fortitude, discipline."

Arthur snorted; from where he was standing now he could say that Merlin had all that – excluding the discipline perhaps – including a few other characteristics that weren't so suited to a knight, like an uncanny ability for attracting trouble, and his ability to trip over the smallest of cracks in the otherwise smooth pavement.

All though it was arguable that he and his knight also had an uncanny ability to attract trouble long before Merlin ever set foot in Camelot.

"No, no, no, of course I don't, but I do know someone who does."

"Yeah?"

"He saved my life."

"That's blowing it for starters."

Merlin merely rolled his eyes and continued.

"No, no, no. He's really good. Honestly."

"That's great, Merlin. I'm sure he's terrific, but you forget the First Code of Camelot. Only those of noble blood can serve as knights, so, unless you friend is a nobleman…."

"Oh, er, he-he is a nobleman."

"Is he?"

"Absolutely."

"Very well. Bring him to the training ground tomorrow. And make sure he brings his seal of nobility."

"Thanks Arthur you won't regret it."

Arthur found himself back in Gaius's chambers were an anxious Lancelot paced back and forth, until finally the door opened and in stepped Merlin, the man wasted no time and literally bounded up to Merlin.

"Well? Did you speak to him?

"Yeah, I spoke to him."

"And?"

"And….."

Merlin sighed and shook his head sadly. To which Lancelot visibly deflated. Merlin however seemed unable to keep a straight face for long and soon broke out into a full blown grin that had Lancelot staring at him strangely.

"He said he would like to meet you!"

The man broke out into a grin that could rival Merlin's.

"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!"

Merlin laughed, "Hey, really, it was no problem, really. It's nothing, although…" he broke off and cleared his throat, "you're not a nobleman by any chance, are you?"

A Nobleman? No…" Lancelot laughed, "good lord, no, why do you ask?"

"It's just that….there is this…."

Gaius who must have just came back from gathering water from the pump answered for Merlin.

"The First Code of Camelot states that only those of noble blood can serve as a knight. Uther created the knights to protect this kingdom from those who wished to destroy it. He knew he would have to trust each of his knights with his life. So he chose them from the families that had sworn allegiance to him."

"The nobility…"

"And thus the First Code of Camelot was born, and ever since that day, only the sons of noble families have served as knights."

"But that is not fair!"

Gaius sighed shaking his head at Merlin's outburst.

"Fair or unfair, that's the way it is. I'm sorry, Lancelot, truly, I am."

Merlin sighed.

"Why do you want to be a knight so much anyway?"

"When I was a boy, my village was attacked by raiders from the northern plains; they were slaughtered where they stood, my father, my mother. Everyone. I alone escaped. I vowed that day that never again would I be helpless in the face of tyranny. I made sword craft my life. Every waking hour since that day, I devoted to the art of combat, and when I was ready, I set for the for Camelot, and now, it seems, my journey ends. Everything I fought for wasted."

Merlin sighed then but Arthur knew the look on his face, one that he was used to seeing on Merlin, it was the look of someone who was bound and determined that things would go their way, even if it killed them.

"I give you my word, whatever it takes, I will make this right."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the castle library as Merlin scoured the shelves for – something, and Geoffrey watched him with a hulks eye. Merlin shifted and blew dust off of a large tomb and carried it over to a table.

Intrigued, he stepped closer until he was able to read over Merlin's shoulder, it was a book of family crests – Northumbrian crests to be exact – Merlin then pulled a piece of parchment paper out of his pocket and laid it over a crest.

_"Ic us bisen hraed tan hwanon."_

Arthur groaned, he'd always wondered how Lancelot had done it. Well it turned out he didn't do it, Merlin did, because there on the parchment was the exact same crest that was on the page in the book. The scene changed and Arthur found himself once again in Gaius's chambers as Merlin entered grinning from ear to ear, the copied crest held up near his chin.

"What's that?"

Merlin grinned and handed it to the man.

"This – this is _your_ seal of nobility."

"I-I don't understand!"

Merlin grinned.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Lancelot, fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria!"

Lancelot shook his head.

"_No_, _Merlin_, _no_!"

"Oh, _right_. So you don't want to be a knight, then?"

Lancelot glared at the grinning man.

"Of _course_ I do!"

"Well…the rules don't allow it. _Damn_ the rules! The rules are _wrong_!"

"But it's a lie! It's against everything the knights stand for!"

"You have as much right to be a knight as any man. I _know_ it!"

"But the rules, Merlin!"

"We're not breaking the rules. We're bending them, that's all. You get your foot in the door. But after that you will be judged on your merit along, and if you succeed – if they make you a knight – it'll be because you earned it, noble or not. I can't change the way things are done around here, but you can…if you let me help you!"

There was a moment of silence before Lancelot gave a tense nod to which Merlin sighed and smiled. The scene changed as Arthur found himself standing on the outskirts of the training field as his younger self trained the younger recruits.

He briefly wondered why he was seeing this before he caught sight of Merlin, his beautiful queen, and Lancelot, both Guinevere and Merlin were fussing over Lancelot's knight costume, while the man stood there awkwardly.

In the background he could hear himself drilling the knights.

"One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four. Again!"

Finally both Guinevere and Merlin stepped backwards and looked Lancelot over.

"Well…you certainly look the part!"

Gwen smiled.

"Doesn't he just?"

Lancelot sighed.

"I don't feel it."

In the distance he saw his younger self wipe at his forehead, swiping sweat soaked bangs out of his eyes. He then clapped his hands together and grinned. "Okay, that'll be it for today, well done." The knights in training grinned and bowed before dispersing. Merlin smacked Lancelot between the shoulder blades and grinned.

"Here's your chance. Go for it."

Lancelot nodded shakily and stepped forward just as his younger self was picking up a discarded sword with an annoyed glare and laying it in the proper place on the sword rack. That was one thing that never changed, he'd always detested it when the trainee's – and the knights, though they were better about it – left weapons just laying around.

His younger self finally seemed to notice Lancelot and looked up with an expectant look.

"Yes?"

"Lancelot, fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria."

"Lance….a lot? My servant mentioned you. Got your seal?"

Lancelot bowed and handed the seal to Arthur who looked it over before slapping Lancelot across the back, knocking the man off balance and causing him to topple over backwards.

"Sire?"

"Sluggish reactions. In a battle you'd be dead by now. Come back when you're ready."

With that said his younger self turned his back on a Lancelot and started to walk away only to whip back around with a frown as Lancelot spoke.

"I'm ready now, sire."

"You are, are you? You can start by cleaning out the stables."

Lancelot frowned and looked over to Merlin who grinned and gave him double thumbs up. Lancelot nodded as the scene changed. Arthur found himself once again in Gaius's chambers as Merlin handed Gaius a book, which the older man began to flip through muttering about some creature.

I'm sorry about Lancelot. I see you were upset."

Merlin, who was flipping through his own book, looked up.

"Oh. You know…that's life. You win some, you lose some."

Gaius looked shocked but nodded.

"You're taking it very well, I have to say." Then, with a skeptical look, "very mature." Arthur couldn't help himself, he snorted. Merlin took no notice and continued to flip through the book.

"Thank you, Gaius."

Merlin nodded as the door opened and Lancelot came stumbling in covered in dirt, hay and – well, Arthur was glad he couldn't actually smell in these memories, because he was sure the man smelled foul.

"How'd it go?"

Lancelot merely groaned and headed for the stairs that led to Merlin's room. Gaius gave Merlin the look that Arthur had come to know since he was a child as the Eyebrow of Doom. Merlin looked sheepish and shrugged his shoulders.

"He found work at the stables."

Gaius nodded.

"I see. And the truth before I lose my temper?"

Merlin looked down and shrugged his shoulders.

"He's er…trying out for the knights."

Gaius looked shocked before a frown graced his chapped lips.

"The First Code of Camelot has never been broken for any man. What've you done, Merlin?"

"Okay, I bent the rules a little, but the rules are wrong. They're unfair!"

"You bent the rules? Using magic?"

"It was nothing, honestly. It was more of a trick than actual magic."

"Your magic is not a toy, Merlin. It's not for you to use or abuse as you see fit!"

Gaius sounded exasperated and Arthur found himself wondering how often Merlin had been scolded like this, and he also wondered if one of the reasons that he had never noticed Merlin's magic was because of Gaius always telling Merlin not to use his magic for frivolous things, thus keeping Merlin from being too obvious.

Not that from what he had seen Merlin had been awfully discrete, and not that he blamed Gaius, it was probably him, and the fact that Merlin looked and acted like the last person that would ever use magic, let alone be born with magic, that had kept Merlin alive and kept him from being discovered.

Arthur sighed.

"I know, I know."

"Then why'd you do it?"

"I owe Lancelot my life. I am paying for that debt the only way I can by giving him the opportunity he deserves. If you want to punish me for it, go ahead."

Gaius was still staring at Merlin with an unreadable expression when the scene changed. He was in the great hall now; the room was alight with activity, trays of food, mead, and for the knights – wine, was being passed around, and in the middle of it all was his younger self sitting with a grinning Lancelot.

Lancelot's congratulatory party then. Off to the side he could see Merlin and Gaius and he migrated towards them.

"Look at him, Gaius. Does not Lancelot deserve this moment?"

Gaius sighed.

"I never said he didn't. But destiny and desserts are not the same thing. You played God, Merlin. You set him on a path of your choosing. Tonight you brought him triumph, but who knows what the future may hold for him."

Merlin was quiet for a moment before he grinned.

"Yeah, I don't know what it said on your invitation, but on mine it said celebration."

Gaius chuckled, while Arthur merely shook his head at Merlin, once a cheeky idiot, always a cheeky idiot.

"Point taken. Don't come back too late."

Gaius turned and left then, just as his Queen ambled her way up to Merlin a grin on her face. They stood together in silence until something caught Merlin's eyes and he smiled.

"You know what? I think our Sir Lancelot might have eyes for you Gwen."

Arthur growled because, of course Lancelot had eyes for his Queen, even back then, he'd thought Lancelot had been looking at Morgana – and it was still disturbing how beautiful his younger self found his sister – but of course he had been looking at Guinevere.

His Queen smiled and giggled.

"Don't be silly."

"What? So what if he did? Would that really be so bad?"

Gwen sighed.

"He's not really my type."

"Oh, well, there's a surprise. Sometimes, Guinevere I wonder if you'd know what your type was if he was standing right next to you."

And then – oh god, you have got to be kidding – his Queen gave Merlin this wistful look that frankly made Arthur want to have Merlin muck out the stables – actually screw mucking them out, have him live there!

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes before sighing. He was here to see what he had missed before, not to become jealous at every one who merely looked at Guinevere, besides he was the one that won her in the end, not Merlin, or Lancelot.

"So, come on. Just for the sake of argument, if you had to, Arthur or Lancelot?"

Guinevere giggled.

"But I don't have to, and I never will."

Merlin let out an obviously fake sigh.

"Oh, you are no fun, Gwen."

His queen was about to retort but his younger self interrupted her by banging on the table.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast to our new recruit, our new knight of Camelot, Sir Lancelot."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself once again in Gaius's chambers as both Lancelot and Merlin came stumbling down the stairs holding their heads in their hands and wincing at the early morning light. Arthur laughed, knowing a hangover when he saw one.

"Argh. Two yards of ale? Two miles, more like it."

Gaius greeted them with two drinks that from the looks of it were filled with his famous and most effective hangover cure. Both men took the drink but both looked uncertain and Gaius finally shook his head and spoke.

"Good morning, gentlemen, don't look at it, don't smell it, and don't ask what's in it, just down it in one."

Both men gave each other a look but did as Gaius said, and Arthur laughed at their horrified and disgusted, and disgruntled looks they came away with.

"Argh…"

"That was – horrible!"

Gaius chuckled.

"Yes well, better? Good. Can't have you nodding off on you first day on the job, Lancelot. Merlin, I do believe Arthur is used to it."

"Hey!"was Merlin's response, and then, "That's Sir Lancelot, if you don't mind."

All three men laughed but the moment was broken as three guards burst through the door, grabbing and dragging Lancelot from the room, leaving Gaius and Merlin staring after him.

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the dungeons outside Lancelot's cell as Merlin came bounding down the stairs and stopped in front of the cell. He stood there in silence for a moment, his eyes on the floor before hesitantly he looked up.

"I don't know what to say to you, Lancelot."

Lancelot stood from where he was sitting and moved towards the bars.

"You're not to blame."

Merlin shook his head, his whole form radiating guilt and self-hate.

"Yes, I am. I pushed you. I screwed up again. I made you lie."

Lancelot shook his head.

"The choice was mine. My punishment is mine to bear, and mine to bear alone."

Merlin's eyes had fallen to the ground again and he shook his head, and Arthur could almost see him replaying Gwen's imprisonment.

"I wish there was something I could do."

"There is. You can stop blaming yourself."

Merlin shook his head.

"It was my fault."

"No it wasn't Merlin."

Merlin just shook his head, before turning and heading for the stairs. Arthur followed behind the servant as he made his way back to Gaius's chambers. The man opened the door and stepped in as the older man looked up from a book.

"Merlin?"

"Whatever you do, don't say ' I told you so'."

Gaius shook his head.

"I have no wish to gloat, Merlin. What's done is done. Here. Come and take a look at this. I realized my mistake. I've been looking for the creature in the wrong place, in the records of all known living things in the kingdom. And then I thought, but what about the creatures only recorded in legend? In prophecy? In myth? Then I discovered this."

Merlin moved over and bent down to look at the book. His eyes widened in recognition and he tapped the page.

"That is it! That's the monster!"

Gaius was about to respond until the warning bell tolled and both men looked at each other in horror. They scrambled over to the window as the beast swooped down and into the courtyard. The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the council chambers as his father stalked in followed closely by Gaius, Merlin, and his younger self.

Both Merlin and Gaius were giving each other looks and Arthur found that he could read the conversation they were having without speaking by just watching their eyes, and the way Merlin's mouth seemed tight with dread.

'_You have to tell him!'_

'_The king will not believe us, Merlin.'_

Here Merlin glared and gestured with his hands in a way that Arthur took as '_well, make him believe.'_ Finally after a long moment Gaius nodded and spoke.

'Sire, if I may?"

"Gaius?"

"I've been researching this creature, sire. I believe it to be a griffin."

"A griffin? What in the world is that?"

"The griffin is a creature of magic, Sire."

His father glared and turned away.

"I don't have time for this Gaius."

But Gaius didn't stop, just as Arthur remembered.

"It is born of magic, Sire, and it can only be killed by magic."

The king shook his head dismissing Gaius's statement just as Arthur remembered him doing, just like many a time before.

"You are mistaken. It's a creature of flesh and blood like any other. Arthur proved that today."

"I'm not so sure, Father. I think there may be some truth in what he says."

His father frowned.

"What truth?"

"The griffin was unharmed, Sire. Our weapons seemed useless against it."

The king scoffed and turned away once more.

"Useless? I think not. No, it's tasted our steel once; the next time will be its last. When will your knights be ready to ride again?"

His younger self sighed and he remembered being frustrated and full of dread at the prospect of facing the creature once more.

"An hour. Maybe two."

His father nodded his back still to the rest of the people in the room.

"Good. We finish this tonight."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in Gaius's chambers once more as the two men gathered around the table that held the book that they had found the griffin in. Gaius bent to read it over once more and was absorbed in the text until Merlin spoke.

"Is it true? The griffin can only be killed by magic?"

Gaius looked up, his face grave.

"Yes, Merlin. I'm certain of it. If Arthur rides out against it, he'll die."

"Then he must be stopped. Uther must see reason."

"Where magic is concerned, our King is blind to reason. And yet…magic is our only hope."

"Surely – You're not suggesting…"

"It is your destiny, Merlin. The true purpose of your magic."

Merlin shook his head, looking terrified, unadulterated fear practically radiating from his very being, it was in the way he held himself and the way his pupils had dilated so far that you could barely see the whites of his eyes.

"You saw it, Gaius! I can't go up against that thing!"

"But if you do not, then Arthur will surely perish."

Merlin shook his head fast, his eyes wild.

"No! No! This is….this is madness! I don't have magic that powerful! There must be another way!"

"This is the only way."

Merlin shook his head, the movement jerky as he clenched his fists at his sides.

"Do you even care what happens to me? Oh, just do this, Merlin. Do that, Merlin. Go and kill the griffin, Merlin. Even thought the thing scares you half to death! Go! Go get killed! I'll just warm my feet by the fire."

Merlin had begun to pace and Gaius had to grab him by the shoulders to keep him still and get him to look at the older man, and Arthur knew he saw what Arthur saw, the pure terror in the blown blue pupils.

"Merlin! Merlin, look at me! You are the only thing I care about in this entire world. I would give my life for you without a thought. But for what? I cannot save Arthur, I do not have the power, and even if I did, it is not my destiny, you know."

Finally Merlin nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't know what else I can say."

"I'll say it for you. We have two hours to find a way to kill that thing."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in Gaius's chambers still, looking towards the window he saw the sun had begun to set. Some time had passed then, both Merlin and Gaius were bent over what he could only assume was a spell book, an old and rusted dagger in front of Merlin.

"Bregdan anweald gafeluec!"

Nothing happened and Merlin slammed his head down on the table and groaned in the universal sound of frustration as Gaius lent a hand on his shoulders.

"Don't worry, Merlin. I know you're trying."

Merlin looked up, fire in his eyes.

"And I'm failing! And if Arthur dies because I'm not good enough…"

"Merlin…"

"Merlin!"

It was clear he was going to say something more but he didn't get the chance as the door slammed open and his Queen came running in. Merlin hurriedly covered the book with a few different parchments and turned to the distraught woman.

"Merlin! Lancelot's riding out to kill the griffin!"

Merlin looked panicked then.

"He's what?"

"I couldn't get him to stop, Merlin, he'll listen to you – "

She didn't get to finish because Merlin turned and ran and when the scene didn't change Arthur followed the man through the winding hallways at breakneck speed – and really who knew Merlin could run so fast? – until he finally skidded to a stop in front of Lancelot, who was in the process of saddling a white gelding. (1)

"I'm coming with you!"

Lancelot at him for a moment, before shaking his head.

"No, you're not."

He made a move to mount the horse but Merlin grabbed his arm and Arthur could see the steel in his electric blue eyes.

"Just try and stop me!"

Lancelot shook his head.

"Merlin, you're not a soldier."

"You said it yourself, Lancelot, Arthur needs all the help he can get. Now let's go!"

Lancelot sighed and nodded before Merlin sprinted towards the stables coming back in what seemed to be seconds with a fully saddled brown mare, with a nod he slid into the saddle and the two set off towards the forest at break neck speed.

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the middle of a battlefield, Merlin was kneeling down beside his younger self with his hand on the pulse point in his neck, the man looked worried as all hell and visibly deflated in relief when must have finally felt a steady pulse.

"He's alive!"

Lancelot, who Arthur had just noticed, gave a nod, as the griffin gave a roar and flew into sight. Merlin nodded as Lancelot scrabbled over to the horse and into the saddle as Merlin handed him the lance that had fallen, forgotten, in the haste to check for survivors.

Lancelot's horse reared–

_"Bregdan anweald gafeluec…."_

Lancelot passed him by and Merlin raised his hands –

The griffin charged –

_Bregdan anweald gafeluec_

Lancelot charged -

_"Bregdan anweald gafeluec!"_

Nothing happened!

"Bregdan anweald gafeluec!"

Finally the spear flamed blue and Lancelot lanced it towards the creature striking it dead. The scene changed.

Arthur found himself outside the large double doors leading into the council room as Lancelot leaned up against the far wall, his head down, eyes closed, and his hands laced together in front of him so tightly that his knuckles shone snow white. Merlin rounded the corner and came to stand next to the man.

"What are they doing?"

Lancelot didn't look up.

"Deciding my fate."

Merlin grinned.

"But this is great! They'll restore your knighthood, of course they will! You killed the griffin!"

Lancelot looked up then, and his face was grave and hard, but his eyes kind, creating a living contradiction.

"But I didn't kill the griffin."

Merlin looked shocked and he followed the man as he walked farther out of earshot of the guards.

"I didn't kill the griffin, Merlin. You did."

Merlin shook his head, perhaps a bit too fast because Lancelot nodded his head as if it had confirmed something for him. Arthur had a good idea what that 'something' was. Lancelot had always been close to Merlin after all and nothing ties two people closer together than a secret.

"That's ridiculous."

"Bregdan Anweald…I heard you. I saw your eyes."

Merlin went stark white and Lancelot's stony expression softened.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. But I cannot take the credit for what I did not do. There'll be no more lies from me, no more deceit. I've learned my lesson."

"What are you going to do?"

Lancelot sighed and straightened until he was standing at his full height.

"The only thing I can do!"

The scene changed as the large double doors were thrown open. Arthur found himself standing next to Merlin and Gaius in one of the towers. In the distance Arthur could see the fading red - almost maroon in the shadows of the trees - of Lancelot's cloak. Merlin and Gaius watched the fading figure until there could be nothing seen except the green of the trees. And although he didn't look away then, only then, did Merlin speak.

"Perhaps you were right, Gaius. Perhaps I should have never got involved."

Gaius shook his head and laid his hands on Merlin's shoulders.

"No Merlin, I was wrong. Lancelot needed you and you needed Lancelot. Your destinies were entwined….."

"Will he ever return?"

"That I cannot say."

"Till next time then, Sir Lancelot."

And as the scene changed, Arthur thought that even if he didn't know what was to come, he would still believe Lancelot would return, because the way Merlin said it, coming from Merlin, those words sounded almost like prophecy.

* * *

_**A/N (1) the technical term for a stallion ( a male horse, just like a female is a mare) that has been fixed so it can't reproduce.**_

_Honestly how tragic, and beautiful was the finale? I bawled from the moment Arthur was stabbed through to the end. Which made it rather difficult to click on the right clip on YT...but anyway! I have so many ideas for fics to be added to 'Finally Free Falling' (My merlin one-shot collection) and doesn't this kind of make a lot - if not all - modern AU's kind of, sort of, cannon?_

_Now that I've seen the finale i can confidently say I'm taking this fic up to 5x10 and I'm trying to think of a way to take it up through 5x13. But because this started as a reveal fic (kind of) I'm not sure how i should do that. Perhaps a possible future? A warning of what Arthur needs to change to avoid his death?_

_Now as for the reason this was so late, I'm having a hard time fitting in time to write a chapter each week around all of my school work. So i think from now on this will be updated every other week. That way I have more time to work and i won't have to rush and feel that it's crap i can make sure i like it._

_**Question for you:** If you've seen it, what were your thoughts on the series finale?_

_**Bonus Question for you**: How would you include 5x11 - 5x13 in this fic? Because honestly i'm at a loss._

_REVIEW RESPONSE TIME! YAY! LOL_

_**Kitkat:** Thanks so much. I like Gwen and Arthur too, (which is wierd because i also like Merthur, and those two otp fandoms tend not to get along very well.) although i agree with you though that it isn't as great this season as it was in different seasons. I think it's because she's kind of more motherly towards him? (the comb scene?) Lean and Mithian you say? That would be really cute actually! Unfortunately our dear kingy does die, but i do like the way they did the magic reveal and ended it because it was more of an open ending (movies perhaps set in the modern day?) than if they had let Arthur live. Anyway your thoughts?_

_Thanks again!_

_**Medchan**: YAY a fellow Merthur shipper! Merlin/Gwaine could be cute two! And yes MerlinxFreya is sooo cute! I've never had so many pairing's that i love as i do in Merlin! I honestly wish your predication had came true! That would have been sooo sweet!_

_**IndiaMoore**: Bring on the bromance!_

_**1983Sarah:** Thanks so much!_

_**IreneGypsy:** I know, my names Abby (well techinally it's Abigail but i don't go by that. Unless my parents are yelling at me...then yeah.) But whenever i read something that has a main character or character with that name it's always spelt "Abbie" or "Abbey" and i never find it spelt Abby._

_Yes i am on DA, i'm going to go send you a note right now!_

_**Goodbye Merlin, i loved you, but every good thing has to come to an end, may you live on through your crazy and awesome fandom.**_


	11. A Remedy to Cure All Ills

_**A/N THANK YOU SO MUCH I HAVE MORE THEN 100 REVIEWS! I LOVE YOU ALL!...ahem, final notes at the bottom!**_

* * *

Arthur found himself in a sunlit stair well. Blinking his eyes once he took in the scene, his queen was there looking frightened and anguished along with a pale and silent Merlin and a weary and old looking Gaius.

"Is she any better?"

Gaius looked down and frowned, and his queen looked stricken and hurried down the stairs, Gaius looked up his face hard and his mouth firm, but his eyes were soft and sad, it was the face of an experienced physician and it was the face of a man who didn't want to lose someone he obviously cared about.

"She's all but dead, Merlin."

Merlin shook his head fast.

"No, you're going to cure her. You have to."

Gaius frowned.

"Don't you start. I've tried everything."

Merlin looked down at the tone in Gaius's voice and the two stood in silence, until Merlin looked up, a wary but eager look to his face all at once, and Arthur knew what Merlin would want to do and he shook his head, because he knew that Gaius would shoot him down.

Gaius was more cautious then Merlin, whether because of age or knowledge, Arthur knew not, although he would lean towards a combination of both.

"I was wondering…."

Gaius's eyes sharpened and his reply was terse.

"What?"

"Maybe I could…..maybe I could help her."

Gaius frowned and sighed.

"If you're suggesting magic, my boy….have you forgotten what happened with Gwen's father? This is not a magical illness; it must be cured by conventional means. We keep trying. I need you to go to the market and see if you can find me some fresh rosemary."

Merlin frowned and started to leave, his eyes on the floor, but he turned back quickly his face open and sad and yearning.

"There must be something more I can do?"

Gaius looked down and looked up again, his face hardening back into the mask of a physician, a physician that seemed determined to ignore Merlin.

"And yarrow."

Arthur found himself in his chambers, his younger self slumped in a chair as Merlin flinted and flew across the room picking up pieces of discarded clothing and putting them in a ever growing pile while, in-between that, pacing back and forth, looking nervous and pale and afraid.

Morgana's illness then, he remembered this.

"It's gonna be alright. It is. I know it is. She's gonna be absolutely…"

"_Merlin_."

"What?"

"You're making me anxious…"

"But I'm not worried! I'm not! I know she'll be fine!"

"Then stop pacing."

Merlin frowned and sat down but his fingers began to tap on the wood and his feet knocked a rhythm on the floor and it was with a great sigh that his younger self heaved himself up and began to wear a track in the floor in the place of Merlin, while the pale man looked on, his fingers drumming across the table, and the sound, Arthur remembered thinking, reminded him of that of an executioners drum.

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the Morgana's chambers, were the future sorceress lay still and pale as death. Gaius was examining her, his hand on the pulse point in her wrist and lifting back eyelids to stare into sightless eyes.

The man sat back and sighed.

"We cannot preserve her life for much longer. She has hours, maybe less."

His younger self stepped forward then, his – their – eyes aflame, and he watched on with a kind of sadness because the woman he was fighting for would want him dead and would become someone that he thought of only with disgust and regret.

"We cannot let her die!"

His father stepped forward then, and the man looked tired and Arthur also remembered the other man that the pale woman had wronged, because Uther had just as much right to be upset, that was his daughter on the bed after all.

"Arthur, please."

His younger self backed up then and sighed returning to stand next to a silent Merlin.

"There's a man, he came to the castle yesterday. He claims he can cure her."

"That's ridiculous. He doesn't know what's wrong with her."

"He says he has a remedy that can cure all ills."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the guest chambers as Merlin set an ornate box down on the table. The box landed with a heavy thud and Edwin looked up as Merlin stroked his hand down the edge and over the leather.

"This...I work with Gaius every day, this is different."

Edwin stared at Merlin until finally he nodded slowly.

"Yes….it was all originally designed for alchemy."

Merlin's brow furrowed.

"Making gold?"

Edwin's eyes turned sharply as they looked Merlin over, as if to seek out a threat, as if to find out if the man suspected anything, and Merlin stared back in just the same way, it was certainty interesting to see the man he usually reserved as unobservant carefully looking for a threat.

"Hmm, I see. You have an interest in science."

"Well, Gaius is always telling me that science is knowledge."

Edwin nodded.

"It has the answers to everything."

Merlin looked down then, a small smile on his lips before he looked up his head cocked to the side. "Maybe, maybe it does have an answer to a lot of things, but it can't explain everything, it can't explain love, it can't explain emotions."

Edwin was silent.

The room swirled and Arthur found himself outside the door to Morgana's chambers. His younger self was there along with his father, Merlin and Gaius. It was silent then, everyone waiting with baited breath and when the golden haired man descended the stairs.

"Great news, you Majesty. You will be glad to hear it is not an inflammation of the brain."

"What is it then?"

"It is a cerebral hemorrhage."

Arthur remembered wondering how that was great new but never voicing the thought. It was silent until Gaius shook his head.

"Hemorrhage? I don't think so."

"I found this trace of blood in her ear."

He lifted a cloth then, blood bright against the stark white of the cloth. His father shook his head, his face white and drawn. "God in heaven." Edwin nodded and a smile that was supposed to be comforting coming to life on his lips.

"The severity depends upon the site and volume of the bleed. If not treated, it can lead to coma, and eventually death."

Uther rounded on Gaius then, his face alight with anger and fear. It was a combination he was used to seeing in his father and yet this moment was more potent, because beneath the anger there was fear, fear for his daughter, and if anyone had ever doubted that his father had cared for his children then one need only look beneath the anger to see the fear.

"How could you have missed this?"

Gaius looked at the king, swallowed and then spoke. "I saw no blood, I looked there – "

"Please. Just thank the fates that you did not administer more rosemary to stimulate the circulation. Can you imagine what that might have done?"

His father turned back to Gaius.

"It may have increased the bleed."

"Is there a cure?"

"See for yourself."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in Edwin's guest chambers as Merlin began to pick through the books and papers and strange equipment, until he finally came to a box and with a furrowed brow he picked it up and opened it to see millions of tiny insects all still, lying on a lining of satin.

Closing it gently, he ran his hands over the cover, brow furrowed and his eyes sharp.

"_Bebeode be arisan ealdu."_

There was a buzzing and then Merlin flipped the lid back to see thousands of tiny bodies moving. Merlin shut the box quickly.

"Very good."

Merlin spun around knocking over a jar with a fine yellow powder in it in typical Merlin fashion, he half walked, half stumbled over to the other man, and handed the box to him. Edwin ran his hands over the cover.

"_Swefn_."

The buzzing stopped. Edwin looked up then, a knowing look on his face.

"You have magic."

Merlin shook his head fast.

"It wasn't me, I didn't do it, I didn't do anything. I'm just a servant."

Edwin looked doubtful.

"Then how else did you bring them to life? Only magic can do such a thing. These little angels are how I cured Lady Morgana, they repaired the damage to her brain. They saved her life. Magic can be a force for good."

Merlin nodded.

"I know."

"Then why do you fear it."

Arthur thought of an execution on a sunny day and of a pale boy not looking away.

"Uther has banned it. It's not permitted."

"Should I have let Morgana die, just because of a law?"

Merlin jaw tensed his reply hard.

"No."

"People like us, Merlin. We have a gift. Do you not think it should be used to make this a better world?"

"Perhaps."

They were silent and Merlin bent down to start to clean up the powder but Edwin stilled him with a hand on his shoulder. "Don't waste your time picking that up, Merlin. _Feormian daerst renian."_ And just like that the yellow powder was back in the jar, and the jar was on the table as if it had never moved from its original spot.

Merlin looked up, his eyes curious and Edwin smiled.

"Why waste a talent like that? I can teach you, Merlin."

"Raedan asce geatan."

The jar lifted off the table and with a curl of his hand Merlin poured the fine yellow into a bowl which poured it into another jar and that jar another jar. Merlin lowered his hand and the objects gently settled as if they hadn't ever moved.

"What do you use this for?"

"I don't. It's dangerous here to have magic. Besides Gaius doesn't like me to."

Edwin shook his head.

"A gift like yours should be nurtured, practiced, enjoyed. You need someone to help you, to encourage you, I can do that."

Merlin nodded slowly, "Perhaps."

"Imagine what we could achieve, if we shared our knowledge."

Merlin nodded.

"I should be getting back."

"Of course. But you must promise to keep our secret safe."

"Of course I will. I wouldn't reveal you. Why would I?" Edwin smiled softly but it didn't reach his eyes, eyes that were watching Merlin like a hare out of reach from the hawk, silently laughing. "People like you and I, we must look after each other."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself standing next to Gaius as the man flipped through a book, a look of intense concentration on his face.

"Have you been up all night?"

Arthur looked up to see Merlin at the top of the staircase that led up to his small bedroom, a pack on his back.

"Yes, but it was worth it. Where are you going?"

"Er, I told Edwin I'd be up at dawn to collect some supplies."

Gaius nodded. "Well, you better get a move on then." Merlin nodded and bounded out the door as the scene changed and Arthur found himself in the same chambers but at the opposite end of the day, pale moonlight spilled through the window as Merlin paced back and forth in front of a stone faced Gaius.

"Gaius! Uther cannot do this to you. You tried to save Morgana."

"Uther's not to blame."

No, Arthur thought, Edwin is.

"I will speak to Edwin, you can work together, think of what you could learn from each other."

Gaius shook his head and lay a hand on the other man's shoulder stilling his pacing.

"No, you mustn't do anything."

Merlin shook his head.

"I can't stand by and do nothing!"

"Uther's right. It's time I stepped down."

And then Arthur see's the moment Merlin's eyes land on the pack that Gaius was standing in front of and he sees the panic that takes over and Arthur is reminded that Gaius was probably the closest thing that Merlin had ever had to a father and even now – or rather then, it had only been five months since Merlin had been made his manservant – the bond that they had was strong.

"What – what are you doing?"

"I cannot stay when there's no longer a use for me."

"You're – you're leaving?"

Gaius nodded and laid a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

"I believe it is for the best."

"Then I will come with you. It'll be an adventure."

"Merlin, Merlin no. You're like a son to me. I never expected such a blessing so late in life but – "

"And you are more of a father to me than my own ever was."

"Then, as a father, I must tell you, you must remain here. Camelot is where you belong, it's were you're meant to be Merlin. Don't throw it all away."

"But you belong here too!"

Gaius shook his head.

"Not anymore. Merlin, you must promise me you will not waste your gift."

"My gift? Before Camelot I knew nothing of magic except what was instinctual to me. You changed that, you gave me the first tool I had to learn more. My gift, it means nothing without you here to guide me, to teach me."

"You have a great destiny. If I have had a small part in that, then I am pleased."

"There is so much I have yet to learn. I need you to teach me. Gaius please…"

"I'm afraid I'm leaving here tonight, Merlin. And there's nothing you can do or say that can persuade me otherwise."

Merlin shook his head then, his eyes firm, like hard gems set within cold stone that needed human touch to warm it.

"I will not let this happen!"

Merlin turned then and stormed towards the door his whole form radiating tension, but what Arthur found significant was the way Gaius seemed to slump the moment the younger man was gone, and Arthur wondered what part of the story even Merlin hadn't been privy to.

"Oh my boy….goodbye, Merlin."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself staring into his own face years younger and terrified. He remembers this, he'd thought this was the true meaning of fear and in a way it was, but there was more to it than that.

"Merlin! My father has Morgana's illness! We must find Edwin!"

Merlin's brow furrowed.

"What – "

"Don't just stand there, you go check his chambers I'll check the library, that's where he's been spendin – "

But Merlin was gone, running and his younger self took off in the opposite direction and at a loss and knowing what he had found he followed the servent as he bounded down the halls and through the doors into a room on fire.

"What are you doing, Edwin? Gaius? "

But it wasn't Edwin who answered, the blonde haired man had his back to Merlin still, no, it was the man on the ground that spoke up.

"He was trying to kill the king. I couldn't let him."

Edwin turned then, the scar on his face looking dark and ugly in a way it hadn't before. His face lit up with manic glee and his face twisted into an ugly grin. Merlin stood there indecision in each line of his face.

"I can rule the kingdom now. And with you at my side, we can be all-powerful!"

And that, Arthur thought, was were Edwin lost Merlin, any chance he had of having the warlock on his side was gone the moment those words left his mouth, because doing something like that was so different from something Merlin would do.

And he wondered what he was afraid of with the Merlin back in the waking world? He didn't know.

"Release him! Gaius has done nothing!"

The blonde clicked his tongue.

"It's your loss, Merlin. _Swilte_!"

Arthur winced as the spell sent an axe hurtling at the servent, but Merlin himself didn't even blink the axe stopped flying within a moment and hung suspended until Merlin thrust his arm out and the weapon was sent back at the manic blonde.

"_Swilte_!"

The blade stopped and hung there, shaking as the two sorcerer's magic strained against it. Edwin gritted his teeth, and tried again and the blade gave an inch but that was it, and with a flare of golden eyes the blade was sent hurtling towards Edwin and hit it's mark with a solid thunk, the man crumpled and slowly the flames dissipated.

And Arthur saw the moment realization flashed through Merlin's eyes, the moment he realized what he'd just done, but the man didn't crumple like Arthur had after his first kill, instead his eyes closed for a moment and he swallowed face pale, but he didn't crumple.

"Are you alright?"

Gaius pushed himself to his feet.

"Yes. Thank you Merlin, what are you doing?"

The man asked as he caught sight of Merlin picking up the box of beetles.

"Uther's ill; the same thing Morgana had. Edwin said he used these to cure Morgana. Maybe we can too."

And if Merlin's voice trembled, if his steps were a bit shaky Gaius didn't notice. And if Gaius found it odd that Merlin had beaten a sorcerer that clearly had more training then him, and hadn't spoken a word while doing it, he didn't say.

The scene changed and Arthur found himself standing beside Merlin and Gaius as they stared down at his father's pale and unmoving form, Merlin swallowed and ran his hands through his hair. "How do we get the beetle out before it kills him?"

"It can only be done by magic…"

Merlin looked up his eyes frantic. Fear making his eyes dart wildly back and forth.

"We can't use magic on Uther, he'd kill us!"

"We don't have a choice anymore!"

And neither of them acknowledged the fact that they did have a choice, they could just walk away. They could walk away and ever one would think nothing less of them because there was nothing they could have done, it was magic that would have been blamed, not the two men who stood beside his father's bedside. Not the man that was being asked to do the saving now, not the one that looked completely terrified on top of being pale and shaky.

Not the one that had killed a man minutes ago.

"Gaius, I can't! Don't ask me to!"

"There are times when it is necessary, Merlin. It is your right."

"Gaius please….I don't...I don't know how to do this!"

Gaius laid a hand on Merlin's shoulder then and Arthur wondered how such a kind act could seem to lay a burden that needn't be there on the younger man's shoulders. And Arthur wondered if it would have been kinder to let Uther die then to ask Merlin to do this.

"If you don't, he's going to die. Do you want that on your conscious? Could you look at Arthur – "

"Okay, Gaius, okay…"

Merlin sat on the edge, his hand coming to rest over his father's ear, his eyes closed and his brow creased and he sat deathly still for a long moment until finally without opening his eyes he began to speak.

_"Bebeode be arisan ealdu. Ablinnen."_

Slowly without opening his eyes Merlin pulled his hand back and ever so slowly opened it until he revealed a tiny beetle lying still in the center of his palm. Gaius looked back and forth from Merlin to the king whose skin was rapidly regaining color.

"Merlin…has anybody ever told you, you're a genius?"

Merlin's eyes snapped open then and slowly a relieved smile began to dance across his lips.

"I did it…" and then, "You certainly haven't."

The scene changed.

* * *

_Sorry for being late but guard got in the way! If any of you follow me on DA you know i've been absent from there as well. Guard and midterm prep literally took over my life from the moment i got back from Christmas break and I've been beyond stressed! Thank god for central NY's weather (ice day, no school), otherwise this might have not been up until this weekend._

_I struggled with this one too, because it isn't so much Merlin's story in this one, in the way that the real character development centers around Gaius more and so i feel that i may of been unclear but...what i tried to do was focus on the bond between Gaius and Merlin so that i can perhaps use it in contrast to a future bond. (If you can't guess then i'm either being really vague - something i've never been good at, hence all the description i like to write - or i don't even know) Did it come out well?_

_**Question for you: **What's your favorite destressor? Because I've found lately that the only thing that works lately is slowly counting backwards from 100._

_**Bonus question for you:** I'll be 16 as of the fifth, sooooo what's your favorite thing to do on your birthday?_

_Reveiw responses now!_

_**Kitkat**: Thanks for your opinion! The movies have been confirmed? I hadn't heard that. _

_**Lady Of The Wind Dwelle**r: Thanks for the praise and for your opinion!_

_**Angeleyenc**: Sorry for being so late!_

_**Daily-chan**: Thanks for your opinion on how to interpret 5.11 through 5.13 into this story and as for your response on the episode, i couldn't have said it better myself, thank you!_

_**Lady Blade WarAnge**l: You've raised a few good points on who i could integrate series five into this story so thank you, and as for your opinion on the final episode, from what i've seen from reviews and the unhealthy amount of time i've spent on tumblr since the finale i can say that people either loved it or were disappointed with it. You were one of the ones that were disappointed and that's okay, thanks for your opinion. _

_**R**: Thank you!_

_**Menolikee**: Thank you for your opinion on both my questions!_

_**EtherealHope**: Thank you so much, actually your idea was somewhere along the line of what i was thinking! Also i absolutely love your pen-name!_

_**Nameless Secret Keeper:** THANK YOU!_

_**IndiaMoore**: Thank you for your opinion._

_**Mika271170**: Your welcome! I won't forget it, i'm terrible at updating on time but i hate to abandon fics, especially ones i've put so much thought into. Great to hear, long live Merlin! Thanks again!_

_**sarajm**: Thank you!_

_**Lolello**: I do don't I? lol Thank_ you!


	12. A Beginning of a Journey

They leave at sunset with saddlebags filled to the bursting point. Gwaine is oddly quiet and Merlin takes it as a blessing because he can't afford to be distracted when so much is riding on him not mucking this one up.

The problem with tracking auras, Merlin thinks, is that the aura is always stronger at the source of the magic - the sorcerer or sorceress - and the recipient of the magic, like a magically lit fire or in this case Arthur. Ordinarily it's not hard to trace the path between, but when it's spread out over a larger distance - then it becomes hard.

Merlin runs a hand along the flank of his horse and squints, his eyes hurting from the strain of the magic he's pumping into them to enhance his sight, he can feel the foreign magic and he gently rubs his own magic up against it until finally, in his mind's eye, he sees it.

He sighs in relief as he stares into the blue and red cord that was stretched thin. He'd thought he'd lost it in the brief distance they'd traveled from the castle it'd thinned dramatically and Merlin came to the conclusion that this was not going to be a quick trip.

He estimated the source was at least three weeks travel time away and that was if they didn't run into any trouble along the way, and they never didn't run into some kind of trouble along the way.

"I found it again."

Gwaine nods and falls into step behind Merlin's horse his own neighing softly. The woods are quiet, almost unnaturally so, with only the sounds of a morning lark to accompany them on their journey.

Merlin frowned and tried not to think anything of it when the lark fell silent as well leaving nothing but the sounds of the horse's hooves beating against the mulch and the distant sound of running water behind.

* * *

Merlin leaned his head into his hand, eyes trained on the bright flames, orange around the edges but white in the center, they'd set up camp only when it became too dark to travel, Gwaine volunteering to take first watch. Merlin hadn't argued, and had instead taken care of the horses and their dinner - some dried vegetables and meat (1) - after starting a fire.

He knew he should be using this time to sleep but his mind was far too active for that. Thoughts going a mile a minute and making him even more concerned about the situation he'd found himself in.

Arthur was unconscious and unable to rule and while Gwen was a good queen. A fair and just queen, she wasn't royal by birth and many nobles were uncomfortable with her at the mantle, it was something that Arthur himself had tried to eradicate from his council but -

But Merlin was worried about her, probably more than was necessary actually, she was Gwen, one of the strongest people he knew, but she was also stressed and she had Arthur to care for.

Merlin's brow furrowed and he absentmindedly flicked his wrist at the fire as a bird, his namesake, rose from the flames before diving back down again amongst the burning embers and pieces of wood.

Gwaine's eyes widened from his spot against a nearby tree but Merlin didn't notice. His mind to busy working though what he was beginning to call the Arthur problem.

Arthur. Merlin didn't know who he'd find at the end of this journey but he knew he had to get there. Failure wasn't an option not in this; he was the only one who could do this. Arthur's life was literally in the palm of his hand, and it was up to Merlin to keep the flickering flame that was Arthur from going out.

Merlin wouldn't let it go out.

And yet Arthur had sentenced him to death, hadn't cared that the flame that was Merlin would flicker and die. Somewhere there was irony in that but Merlin didn't care to find it. When it came down to it, if Arthur died then there was a possibility that Merlin could live. He could escape, start over somewhere new and safe where no one knew his name.

But if Arthur lived - Merlin would die.

And yet, here he was going off into who knows where for him.

He sighed. Sometimes he questioned if he was still sane after the last nine years. Sometimes he questioned if he should have ever even come to Camelot. It been hell, so much pain, so many people lost - his father, Freya, Lancelot, Elyan, and so many more, their ghosts haunting his dreams - so much blood on his hands. He'd done things he would regret 'til the end of his days.

But there'd been good times too, times when he was so thankful that he'd been sent to Camelot, times when Arthur was less of a prince and more of a friend, sunlit mornings spent picking flowers with Gwen and talking to Gwaine, times spent laughing with Gaius and times when he learned more about himself because he had to, and came out a better person.

He was who he was today because of Camelot and her people and - because of Arthur and Merlin had never been the kind of person who could turn away, he wasn't capable of ignoring someone else's pain - except when he had, and look where that had got them? Look at Morgana now - so he thinks, really there was never any doubt he'd do this. If this was to be his last act well -

Well death was supposed to be restful at the very least.

* * *

Gwaine sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It only took one week for things to go to hell. Literally one week. Now the king was under some kind of spell - again - Merlin had been accused of sorcery - again, although admittedly this time there was truth to it - and they were off on some hair brained adventure to try and fix things. Again.

So really he mused, it was a normal week in Camelot.

But Merlin, Merlin was worrying him. The man was quiet and withdrawn and Gwaine could almost see the wheels turning in Merlin's head and regardless of the magic, Merlin was still Merlin.

And Gwaine knew Merlin, or at least he'd thought he did.

Why hadn't Merlin told him? Gwaine wasn't like Arthur, he wouldn't have jumped and yelled threats of execution the first chance he got, he wouldn't have sent Merlin to the dungeons because Merlin is still Merlin, the clumsy kind man that had earned Gwaine's loyalty and refused to abuse it.

The man in question was leaning his head into his hands that sat on top of his knees until he was half curled up, while maintaining an upwards position.

And then Gwaine watched as the man flicked his wrist and a bird - of what kind he had no clue - burst from the flames, spring upwards until it suddenly did a turn and dove back into the flames, the fire rising slightly higher before settling back down.

Finally he could take the silence no longer.

"You should be trying to sleep."

Merlin looked up, blinking owlishly up at him before his head settled back into his palms and he resumed staring into the flames.

"Probably, but I can't sleep. Do you want me to take over?"

Gwaine shook his head, and then: "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't, it's not safe."

"I wouldn't have hurt you. Your Merlin, I couldn't -"

Merlin looked up again and even in the poor light of the fire Gwaine could see the small and utterly thankful smile on Merlin's lips.

"I know. But what I meant - is it wouldn't have been safe for you," and then, quieter. "Excluding Gaius and my mum, everyone who knows about my magic - they've died, it - people have died and I just - why would I want to endanger people when I'm used - "

Gwaine's stomach dropped.

"Your used to what, Merlin?"

"Hiding."

"Merlin..."

"I'm used to it. I've hidden all my life."

"All your life?"

And Merlin looked at him his eyes more intense then Gwaine had ever seen them. Like twin lapis lazuli's glinting in the fire light.

"I never chose this. I was born this way. Why would I choose to be hunted like - like an animal?"

"Oh, Merlin."

Nothing more is said, because, what else could be said?

* * *

They'd been traveling for a week when it finally happens. The danger that had been lurking all week finally swooped down on them in the form of a griffin.

The problem with the griffin is not actually the griffin though, he knows the spell to use, and with Gwaine's help it goes down easily the problem is what happens afterwards. They'd lost the horses in the scuffle and they were stranded a week journey on horse from the castle.

Which is why Merlin frowns and poses the question he does.

"Gwaine, how do you feel about dragons?"

* * *

_A/n: so yeah not much happens...anyway sorry for being gone for so long but there's this hell hole thats filled with sickness and disease (because you know i have a crap immune system ) - it's called school. And theres this thing called a term paper and it takes over lives. But im back...and also have practice in five minutes so i'll double up on review responses next time okay?_


	13. Emrys (He's Everything)

Gwaine waits a beat and then tilts his head to the side.

"_So_," he says, dispute the odd look of contemplation in his eyes. "What else have you hidden from us, Merlin?" He doesn't mean for it to sound accusatory, but it does and Merlin doesn't look up, his eyes trained on the ground.

And then he does. "I met my father."

"Your father's a dragon? I don't belie-"

"No," Merlin says, closing his eyes and sighing, as if to ward against something. "No, no. He - he wasn't a dragon, he was a _dragonlord_, he was the last of his kind."

And then it dawns on him.

"You said was."

Merlin's eyes remain closed but he nods, "I did."

"He's dead?"

Another nod.

"So if he was the last of his kind then why are we even discussing dragons? Wouldn't we need a dragonlord to help us?"

"He's not the last one."

"_Merlin_! You just said he was the last of his kind - _wait_," Gwaine frowned, pieces falling into slots, like a well oiled machine. "You said was. As in he was at that point the last of his kind. It passed to you?"

Merlin's nod is barely there and it's terse and strained but it's there and Gwaine whistles before sighing. He stepped forward and clasped Merlin's arm and stared him in the eyes before lowering his head.

"I'm sorry."

Merlin nodded again.

"S'alright, it was a long time ago, and I'm - I'm not _okay_ with it, the way he died, but it doesn't hurt like it did at first." Gwaine nodded before taking a step back and nodding "Well then, call your dragon, do your dragonlord thingy."

Merlin snorted but nodded, throwing his head back and letting out a string of vowels that sounded like gibberish to Gwaine's ears mixed in with random words every three sentences, it was possibly one of the strangest and awe inspiring experiences he'd ever experienced in the time he'd walked this plain.

He would take that back when - after an hour of waiting - a great beast with intelligent golden eyes landed with an audible thud and tremor and actually _bowed_ to Merlin.

"Kilgharrah. I'm _sorry_ for calling you, I know -"

"Quiet Young Warlock, I said I would serve you for as long as I can. Now, who have you brought with you?"

_And - holy shit_, Gwaine thought_, it talks_!

"Kilgharrah. Gwaine. Gwaine. Kilgharrah."

At that Gwaine thinks the great beast grins, his large scaly lips pulling back to reveal teeth - _lots_ and _lots_ of teeth. He tries to grin back and thinks that the beast is either a) smiling, or b), going to swallow them whole.

"Ah, yes. The roguish knight. What interesting company you keep, Young Warlock. Still - he's very loyal, you've made the correct decision. He will be a great assist on your quest to save your king."

"So you know why I've called you?"

"Yes, Young Warlock. But I can't carry you all the way to your destination. There are some things you'll have to do on your own."

Merlin nodded.

"Thank you, Kilgharrah."

The great beast blinked then and lowered itself to the ground, settling on its great scaly forelimbs. Wings folding in. Merlin grinned and stepped forward, scrabbling up the dragon's side and settling himself on top. Gwaine shrugged his shoulders once and followed.

"You'll love flying, Gwaine. There's nothing like it in this world."

* * *

Gwaine had never felt so glad to see solid ground in his life. _Ever_. He stumbled down the side of the beast, tripping over his own feet and almost falling, all the while Merlin - who was completely _fine_ - flinted around picking up sticks and old pieces of wood, presumably for the fire.

He tried not to be jealous. While trying simultaneously to not dread the experience that Merlin had been sure he would '_love'_.

After camp was set up the rest of the night passed in relative silence, only broken my Gwaine himself. The other two members kept shooting glances at each other and Gwaine had to wonder how deep the bond between dragon and lord ran.

What was he missing?

Finally, Merlin stood and stretched, bones popping back into place. He sighed and turned to Gwaine.

"I'll take first watch."

Gwaine didn't argue - he wouldn't argue about sleep, he was tired and he was sure having a fire breathing creature on the south side of camp would scare off any bandits, _besides. Merlin could protect himself,_ he thought dryly_, had always been able too.  
_

He was woken some time later by the insistent calling of his name. Sitting up he looked around the camp, everything was silent. Merlin was asleep up against a tree, snoring loud enough to wake the dead. He frowned.

The voice had seemed loud, really loud actually, so wouldn't Merlin - _who was normally woken if you dropped a pin_ - have woken as well? But no, Merlin was still snoring fit to wake the dead so -

"_Gwaine_!"

And - holy shit, that had been inside his head!

_"Young Knight, I must speak with you."_

Gwaine slowly turned then and found himself staring into large amber eyes. Years later, he would later deny how high he jumped at the sight. He would also deny asking not to be eaten.

_(But that was years later)._

The dragon laughed - or what Gwaine assumed was laughter. Would have been laughter if it wasn't a damn dragon laughing at him. And wasn't _that_ a surreal thought?

"Young knight, I promise not to _eat_ you. Now please be quiet, this is a conversation that I'd rather not have the Young Warlock awake for."

Gwaine's brow creased.

"Why?"

"Because he must find out on his own."

"Then why are you telling me? How do you know I won't just tell him anyway?"

The dragon actually _laughed_.

"I know you won't because you want to protect him."

Gwaine crossed his arms tightly across his chest.

"Fine, tell me."

The dragons head shifted into what appeared to be a nod, before his face seemed to tighten and his eyes seemed to glow impossibly bright.

"There are many things the Young Warlock doesn't know about himself. Something's he has always taken at face value and never looked deeper. You must understand Young Knight that when Uther started the purge he did more than just kill, he set forth a prophecy."

Gwaine swallowed, "what prophecy?"

"A prophecy about a king, but more importantly, one about a boy born with magic. A boy who _is_, _was_, and _will b_e, meant for _greatness_. The king behind the king that doesn't want the crown because he fears what power can do. A boy with a knack for trouble and an even greater aversion to all things dark. A prophecy about light and love."

"Merlin, has prophecies written about him?"

"Do you doubt it?"

Gwaine looked back at the sleeping man, whose snores could be heard across camp. He was infuriating but he was something special and Gwaine didn't think a day would go by when he didn't feel thankful for Merlin.

"No. I don't, not in the least."

"Good, he'll need that. You must remind the young Warlock that he is human in the most basic sense, he thrives off of people. You must remind him that his magic, his life, isn't a curse. That being Emrys isn't a curse."

"Being _Emrys_?"

"That being himself is not a curse."

Gwaine swallowed.

"Who is _Emrys_?"

The dragon's eyes brightened until Gwaine had to look away because it hurt too much to look at them straight on.

"Emrys - _Emrys_, is the Young Warlock, or as you know him - _Merlin_."

Gwaine nodded and then:

"_What_ is Emrys?"

The dragon laughed inside Gwaine's mind.

"You are asking the right questions, Young Knight. Emrys is _everything_. Has _always_ been everything, and always will _be_ everything. He is _made_ up of everything that holds the world together. _He is magic_, and _always will be_ magic. He is very important Young Knight, so _please_, protect him. _Safeguard_ him, because sometimes, I fear he will not."

Gwaine can do nothing but nod all the while Merlin sleeps on.

* * *

_A/n: I know I know but school is just killing me! It's a sadistic bastard that i must keep going back too. Some minor editing done to chapter one and some more to come because i'm eliminating a plot line that has been giving me problems.  
_

_Question for you: how do you weed out the good fanfics from the bad ones?_

_Bonus question for you: am I in the good fanfic writer ratio? (IE what do I need to improve on )?_

_Now reviews and holy crap there's a lot! THANK YOU!_

_Raven's Dusk: thank you! I'm glad you like it! He'll wake up in time...i hope (suspense, DUN DUN DUN lol) I liked the ending but that's because i love angsty things and because i have slight masochistic tendencies when it comes to my fandoms. Sorry for the wait!_

_Lady Blade WarAngel: It doesn't feel simple but it probably will when I'm older. Family is huge with me too! I love going to the movies although never with my brother because he talks the whole way through. LOL I think that's why a lot of people write, i know i write because it helps me escape from my problems for a little while. Thanks again!_

_HelloStix: I hate chocolate (well except white chocolate because that stuff is literally orgasmic) i hate crying (don't think anyone really likes it, and it's cliche to say it, but i do) but yeah it does work and i do feel better afterwords. Oh, owwwww, sorry that must have sucked. _

_Nameless Secret Keeper: Thanks!_

_IreneGypsy: he's getting there! Aww i love those things! i probably spend more time playing with them though then i do actually using them for their intended purpose, you know, erasing. LOL I've never actually met anyone who plays the ukelale, AWESOME! Thanks! I don't really like cake, lol i'm like the worst female ever, hate chocolate hate cake. Running amuck at school is always fun lol, the idea is just to not get caugt ;) _

_DO YOUR HOMEWORK! No seriously do it, that's my public service announcement for today. _

_1983Sarah: I know, they have an awesome dynamic! pfff...Arthur adds so much to everything. LOL  
_

_Lady of the Wind Dweller: Thanks, sorry for the wait!_

_Ruby890: there are some episodes that stick with you and others that are just meh, i tolerate you, i totally understand._

_Mika271170: I will! Thank you! Season one is amazing! SO much cuteness and feels, they were so happy!  
_

_Angeleyenc: Thank you!_

_Kezelle: Your welcome and thank you!_

_Kitkat: Happy really early birthday! I live in central NY so there are some places i could but i prefer to hike around in the woods, i think i would freak out if i ever went kayaking. I hadn't heard about the movies! That would be awesome if they did create some! THANK YOU!_

_azuredragonsleeps: Thank you!_

_IdiaMoore: Happy late birthday! i love chinese food! Thank you!_

_Shadow-strikeRaven: You were waiting a wile! Sorry! Thank you for reviewing!_

_CarolinaEiraSa: Thank you! I love to sing but i'm not very good. LOL Kidnapping friends is always good, THANK YOU_

_Jayley: they are sooooo gooooood! He has a few more lessons to learn!_

_Raven's Dusk: Sorry for the wait, this one's a bit short as well! THANK YOU!_

_saroura92: Surprising not! LOL THANK YOU!_

_1983Sarah: I feel like Gwaine would always accept Merlin, like Merlin's a puppy to him and they have the second strongest friendship on the show.! Poor Kilgharrah, just accept it, your the most awesome horse we've ever met._

_Toshiro93: Thank you!_

_Nameless Secret Keeper: THANK YOU!_

_Fairy Goatmother: I had to look at that penname for a moment and then i burst out laughing! AWESOME! _

_Mika271170: I have no plan's for abandoning this fic! THANK YOU!_

_KeitorinNara: THANK YOU, no seriously this comment made my day, my plot's are sometimes inconstant and boring so i'm glad you liked it! He is burdened and while that's not all there is too him, it is a part of him that i wanted to show in this fic._

_anita4869: THANK YOU! it is going to be long but i hope everyone likes it! I have some great ideas for this fic Arthur's getting there..._

_Shadow-strikeraven: He's not doing to well, but he's coping. THANKS i'm glad you liked it, sorry for the wait!_

_angeleyenc: Sorry for the wait!_

_Irene: Kilgharrah, i love that dragon! lol Easter and spring break, i need you...i feel your pain._

_Ruby: THank you!_

_azuredragonsleeps: I loved writing that part so i'm glad that people liked it! THANK YOU!_

_Lady Blade WarAngel: THANK YOU!  
_

_IdeaMoore: THANK YOU_


	14. The Gates of Avalon

Arthur is standing on a blurry shoreline - except it wasn't and the next it was, he shook his head frantically! What was this? He could hear water sloshing like the beat of the executioners drum and someone was panting and crying! He caught sight of dark hair - long - and pale skin and then it flashed again back to the shore -

Arthur finds himself in the forest.

He stares into the sunlight watching dust float in the shafts of light. It the exact opposite of the chaos of the previous scene and he shakes his head in confusion. It's tranquil, restive, and beautiful. The trees are large and all around him is green, it's a familiar sight – one that he's grown up knowing, but it's no less awe inspiring. A deer bounds past him and he watches as his younger self comes into sight, a crossbow in hand.

He blinks and in the moment that his eyes are closed Merlin appears, bumping into his younger self causing the bolt to misfire and to land itself solidly in the bark of a large – probably century old – maple tree, with a resounding thud.

Merlin merely blinks, and he finds himself snickering, over the years he'd learned that if he ever really wanted to get any true hunting done, then he had to leave Merlin back at the castle, the man was a clumsy as a newborn fawn and hated shooting large game, because he found it wasteful when it was often only the two of them.

But the younger him was still – young, he wouldn't know the things that Arthur now knew. Some of which he wished he didn't. The way the two of them were here - Merlin with a smile and his younger self exasperated but at peace the way he was only when with Merlin or Guinevere - was how it was meant to be.

"What is it?"

"You really are a total buffoon, aren't you, Merlin?"

Merlin blinked again.

"I was just asking?"

"Who? Me or the deer?! The deer we're supposed to be hunting….hunting, it requires speed, stealth and an agile mind."

Merlin smirked.

"So you're able to get by on two out of three, then?"

His younger self opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a scream – something that – oddly – wasn't a rare occurrence, he watched as his younger self snapped to attention, his head whipping in the direction of the ear piercing sound.

Merlin frowned, "What was that?"

"Quiet," his younger self hissed.

In the distance there was a faint cry for help and suddenly both Merlin and his younger self were springing into action their bodies blending into the forest and leaving Arthur with no choice but to run after the fading glint of chainmail and the brown of Merlin's jacket.

The two – plus the older Arthur – burst into a clearing were a bandit – dressed in shades of brown and with a hideously overgrown beard – was holding a sword to a man's neck while a young woman was viciously clawing at the arm of another while he held her by the waist tightly against him.

The scene changed, but not before Arthur recognized their faces. He groaned.

Arthur found himself in the council chambers while sunlight glinted down through the windows. Sophia and her father knelt before the throne, their heads bent. His father motioned for them to rise and they did, their spines snapping and their heads held high.

"My name is Aulfric, heir to Tir-Mor. This is my daughter, Princess Sophia."

"You're a long way from home. What brings you to Camelot?"

"Our home was sacked by raiders; we barely escaped with our lives. Everyone else – including my wife – was killed. We're the only survivors."

His father's brow creased.

"What will you do?"

"We travel west to Caerleon where we have family and, I hope, a new life."

"You must stay here awhile, break your journey. A noble family like yours is always welcome in Camelot."

The two nodded their heads while his younger self simply gazed at Sophia in a way that the older Arthur found disturbing. The scene changed and Arthur found himself watching his younger self pace the length of his chambers twice before rounding on Merlin.

"Make sure you put her in a decent room."

Merlin stared for a moment before replying, "The one next door is empty….."

"The one next door? Excellent. Excellent, in fact," his younger self frowned in annoyance. "Shut up before you start, Merlin."

If anything Merlin's grin got bigger.

"What? I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. I want to make it clear that my intentions towards Sophia are completely honorable. Put her in the room on the other side of the castle. It's much warmer, it will be more comfortable."

"Of course. She…er….she's very beautiful."

His younger self grinned.

"Yes, she is. Very beautiful."

"And if your intentions are honorable…."

His younger self nodded, perhaps a bit too quickly.

"Oh, they are. Most definitely."

"Then what's the problem with her staying next door?"

"There isn't one, is there? You've convinced me. Put her in the room next to mine."

Merlin grinned.

The scene changed.

Arthur found himself in his chambers as morning light filtered in through the windows. His younger self paced the length of the room once before rounding on Merlin in much the same way he had in the previous memory.

"I'm taking Sophia out for a ride today. You know, show her around. Get her mind off things."

Merlin frowned. His brow and nose wrinkling, while his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He looked absolutely ready for anything - although, considering they regularly dealt with witches and various other bloodthirsty beasts, so perhaps it was justified.

"Where do I come into this?"

Arthur grinned.

"Well, I'm supposed to be on patrol with the guard of my father this morning, so I need you to cover for me."

"What, and lie to the King? No. No way. No, he'll see right through me. He'll have me in the stocks quicker than you can say rotten tomatoes."

Merlin was alarmed but his younger self seemed unconcerned. Camelot had always been slightly different, but still, servants were dealt with quickly and harshly they weren't allowed the same rights as a regular citizen was, it was something that had changed with his reign – he'd made sure servants had rights, because his citizens deserved better.

"Merlin….don't make me ask you nicely."

Merlin sighed and his younger self, seeing that he was winning the argument, spurred himself on, his face becoming something almost – damnit, he'd forgotten this, he'd manipulated Merlin, he'd known that if Merlin was caught lying there could be severe consequences, the stocks being the kindest of punishments, but he hadn't cared.

"I need you to do this for me."

"I'm a terrible liar you know, I start sweating…my vision – my vision blurs and my brain – it stops working completely."

"Well, no changer there, then. Look, I promised Sophia I'd take her out and if I don't turn up it'll blow my chances with her. She'd think I'm an ass."

Merlin smiled.

"Well it be best not to lie to the girl….still, you really like her, then?"

"Yeah. What's not to like? I want to spend some more time with her, but I need to get my father off my back. I can't order you to lie to the king, I can't make you….but if you did, then you'd be my friend for life."

He groaned, knowing what he know knew about Merlin, that had sealed the deal, he may have magic, but he was lonely, and Arthur had just used it against him, it was the highest of manipulations. To promise something like that – of course Merlin would have said yes.

"Go on, then, you don't want to keep her waiting on you."

His younger self grinned.

"I won't forget it, Merlin."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself watching Morgana pace in front of the large window that took up a good portion of the wall in her chambers. It looked out towards the forest and he watched the red of his cloak fade off into the distance. Guinevere stepped forward then.

"You're sure it's her."

Morgana whirled on Guinevere all red silk and black hair, Guinevere smiled slightly and placed her hand on Morgana's shoulder, the other coming up to stroke Morgana's cheek, it was then that he noticed how pale Morgana was, how terrified she looked.

"I could never forget that face."

"You should speak to the king. If you really believe that Arthur is in danger."

"And tell him – tell him what? That I can see the future, that it terrifies me but I think this time it could save – I can't Gwen, you know how he'd react."

"Morgana – you're his ward, he loves you, and he wouldn't harm you."

"He hates magic more than he could ever care for me," Morgana grimaced, her face one of pain and fear and perhaps a little bit of hate.

"That's not true."

"Would you care to put it to the test, I'm sure flames would be a lovely color on me."

Guinevere sighed, and Arthur wondered, what would his father have done, Morgana's betrayal had broken him, but Arthur couldn't recall him calling for her execution simply because of her magic, he hadn't heard it, and perhaps that had been his father's greatest achievement that he'd overcome his hate to see his daughter clearly, for all her faults and all her strengths.

"But what else can you do?"

"I'm going to have to try and stop her myself."

The scene changed.

Arthur found himself in his chambers again; Merlin sat cross legged on Arthur's bed a pile of armor at his feet and a rag in his hands. He was humming and Arthur found himself smiling – Merlin was many things but a singer was not one of them.

Merlin fell backwards when the door flew open, his father storming in.

"Where is my son?"

Merlin looked frightened for one moment before he began to babble.

"I'm not sure where he is, I – erm, I think – that is – I think there has been a mistake. But its not his fault, Arthur's, I mean."

Uther sighed in irritation.

"Stop gibbering and tell me where he is."

"it's probably….no, it's definitely my fault."

"Where is Arthur?!"

"He's not here."

"I can see that."

"Arthur wasn't sure of his orders, so he asked me to check with the guards to see if he was riding out this morning and…well…I may have forgotten to."

Uther frowned his whole face hardening.

"You forgot?"

"I-I'm sorry, My Lord, I am sure he would have been her had I told him?"

"If this was a time of war, I would have you flogged. I still have half a mind to."

"But, since it's not – not a time of war I mean, will you let it go, just this once?"

The scene changed and Arthur groaned as he caught sight of Merlin in the stocks. The scene changed again and Arthur found himself in Gaius's chambers as Merlin came in covered in what appeared to several different kinds of rotten food.

Gaius looked up.

"Have you been playing with your food again?"

Merlin groaned.

"The King put me in the stocks."

"What'd you do this time?"

Merlin bent down and picked up a pale filled with water before making his way across the room, "why do you always assume it's something I did? Nothing, honestly, It wasn't my fault, Arthur wanted to get out of going on patrol with Uther and the guard, so I covered for him and took the blame."

"And Arthur was prepared to let you do this?"

"It was his idea."

Merlin ducked his head into a bowel and came up gasping, his face and hair dripping but now free of the tint of rotten food.

"And what made him neglect his duties? It must've been something terribly important."

Merlin smiled, "Sophia."

"The girl from the forest?"

"He wanted to take her out for the day," Merlin's grin got even brighter. "He's totally and utterly besotted."

"But they've only just met!"

"I know," replied Merlin flinging a bit of food from his hair. "I guess it must have been love at first sight." Gaius nodded slowly. "Yes…I suppose it must be."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself standing behind Merlin as the man threw open the double doors to Arthur's chambers.

"You're dressed!"

His younger self turned, his face one of dry humor.

"Nothing gets past you, does it, Merlin?"

Merlin walked farther in, grapping pieces of armor as he went.

"Well come on then, we've got to get you into this! Your father's bestowing a knighthood on one of your men this morning."

"I'm not going."

Merlin's brow furrowed, dark eyebrows drawing together.

"Won't the King mind?"

"Not if you cover for me, again. By the way, thanks for yesterday, I heard you ended up in the stocks, bad luck." Merlin frowned and rubbed his head, "They were throwing potatoes at me! It's only supposed to be rotten fruit!"

"I'm not sure there are any hard-and-fast rules, Merlin. But if it's any consolation, I think it was worth it." Merlin grinned, "What? It went well?"

"Great, fantastic. She's absolutely incredible."

Merlin sighed, dopey smile still in place, "don't worry. I'll find a way to get you out of it."

"Just make sure you don't end up in the stocks this time, I don't think your brain can afford too many more knocks."

"I won't."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself once again in Gaius's chambers as Merlin burst through the door covered in rotten fruit, "you would think that the appeal of pelting the same person with fruit would wear off after a while, but, oh no!"

"Not again Merlin, surely?" then, "I heard that Arthur wasn't at the knighting ceremony."

"Yeah, he wanted to make the most of his time left with Sophia."

"So you helped him?"

"I'm his servant, I had to."

Gaius sighed and handed Merlin a bowel of water and a cloth. "You shouldn't have don't that, Merlin. I fear that Sophia may not be all that she seems."

"Why?"

Gaius stood.

"What do you know about seers?"

"Not much. I know that they're supposed to be able to see the future. I know that it's one gift I am glad I don't have."

Gaius nodded.

"It's said to be an innate ability. Those who have it are born that way. Some aren't even aware that what they see is the future. It comes to them in their dreams."

Merlin frowned, "What's that got to do with Sophia?"

"The night that Aulfric came to Camelot, Morgana, she had a dream. Sophia was in it."

Merlin looked surprised, his jaw slackening, "Before she arrived in Camelot?"

"I've been watching Morgana since she was very young. And though I tried to persuade myself otherwise, I realized that some of the things she said she'd dreamt came to pass. I kept it secret from Uther and Morgana, of course. The gift of prophecy is too close to the work of magic."

And suddenly, Morgana's hate, it made a little bit more sense to Arthur, to have something like that hidden from you, he remembered Morgana's nightmares – except they weren't just that apparently – how terrified she would get, how she would cry.

To have something like that hidden from you. Arthur isn't sure how he would react if it had been him. The Pendragon temper was legendary after all for a reason.

"You think Morgana is a seer?"

"I don't think it – I fear it. Morgana said she dreamt that Sophia killed Arthur."

"Couldn't that have been a dream? Maybe the woman – she just looked like Sophia."

"That's what I hoped. But Aulfric caught me in Sophia's room and, in a flash of anger, his eyes changed color."

Merlin frowned.

"Who are they?""

"It's not who they are that worries me. It's what they want with Arthur."

The scene changed Arthur found himself standing behind Merlin who was hiding behind a tree. Not the most ingenious hiding spot, but it worked. A stick cracked and Arthur found his eyes drawn to the lake shore beyond the treeline.

Aulfric was there. His breathing fast and panicked.

"I seek an audience with the Sidhe elders! Dotiag-sa ar idbairt do denam!"

Nothing happened, or at least nothing happened that Arthur could see, but Merlin gasped and smiled and Arthur knew he was missing something big. It was the first time he'd ever actually wished that he had magic.

Aulfric fell to his knees, "I come before you to plead for the chance to win passage back to Avalon and a life of immortality!"

The wind whistled and Merlin gasped. Aulfric bowed his head.

"The crime was mine, not my daughters; do not punish her for my actions."

Aulfric laughed.

"Thank you! Thank you! An immortal life for my daughter is all that I desire, so I promise you the soul fo the greatest prince of all. Arthur Pendragon!"

Well – fuck.

The scene changed.

Arthur found himself back in Gaius's chambers the smell of the forest still lingering in his nose. Gaius paced back and forth.

"Avalon. What you saw at the lake, it's Avalon…it must be…"

"What's…."

But Gaius ignored him.

"The land of eternal youth. Mortals are only allowed to glimpse it the moment before their death."

"Well, I've seen it and I'm still here."

"Extraordinary….what did it look like?"

Merlin threw his hands up into the air.

"Does it matter? They're going to sacrifice Arthur and we don't even know who 'they' are yet!"

"We do now," Gaius sat down at the desk before motioning for Merlin to follow. "I found writing like this on the top of Aulfric's staff. It's _Ogham_, an ancient script. _Abas ocus Bithe. Duthectad bithlane. To hold like and death in your hands._ From the writing on his staff and what you saw at the lake, I'm afraid I'm now certain. We're dealing with the Sidhe."

"That does not sound like a good thing."

"It's not. They're masters of enchantment."

Merlin frowned, "You think Arthur's been enchanted?"

Gaius only nodded.

The scene changed and Arthur found himself in his chambers as his younger self paced back and forth throwing random articles of clothing into a bag, like a petty child running away. Which – Arthur supposed – he was being.

He remembered very little after meeting his father in the council's chambers and announcing his plans to marry Sophia, but what he did, well they weren't the most flattering, he'd been a royal prat, spell or not.

"I thought the King was a bit harsh."

His younger self whirled his lips pulled back in a snarl, "Get. Out. I don't need sympathy, Merlin, especially from you."

Merlin ignored him, "But I did think he had a point."

His younger self growled, "I ordered you to get out. Now leave me!"

"I know what you think you're doing, and I know you think you're in love with Sophia…."

The younger Arthur growled. "Who are you to tell me what I'm thinking?"

"I'm your friend!"

"No, Merlin. You're my servant."

The younger Arrthur slung the pack over his shoulder and Merlin grabbed his arm but Arthur threw him off with a rough shove. The doors were thrown open then and Sophia strode in followed closely behind by Aulfric.

"See? I told you people would try to keep us apart."

His younger self flinted to her side, his arm coming to rest around her waist, his hand settling on her hip, "I know, but I won't let that happen."

Merlin threw his hand up into the air, "Look, don't listen to her, she's controlling you! They're magical creatures; they're going to sacrifice you tonight so that Sophia can be immortal once again!"

"It doesn't make sense, I – we're in love!"

"Look at the writing on the staff!"

Merlin lunged for the staff but Aulfric's eyes flashed red.

"Look at his eyes Arthur! Do you believe me now?"

His younger self turned, his eyes glowing like rubies.

"I see everything."

Merlin lunged then but Aulfric was too fast, "Na mben sis!" Merlin flew backwards his back colliding with the wall and his head fell to meet his chest and he fell, the only movement being the slow rise and fall of his chest.

The scene changed.

Gaius was helping Merlin to stand the boy's head rolling to the side, his pupils blown. Merlin stumbled and Gaius struggled to support him before the boy finally righted himself. Merlin groaned. "Aulfric. Where's Arthur! I have got to go after him. What's that buzzing noise?"

Gaius frowned.

"Careful Merlin, you can barely stand up."

"I have to go!"

"You can't, Merlin. You're in no shape! You owe it to your powers that you survived this at all."

"I'll be fine, he needs me."

Gaius sighed.

"…has the buzzing stopped?"

Merlin swayed.

"Yeah."

"Liar."

"I have to go, Gaius. He'll die if I don't!"

Gaius sighed.

"The Sidhe are vicious people. You must be careful."

Merlin nodded. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Both Arthur and Gaius sighed when Merlin began to walk towards the open window.

"Merlin?" he gestured towards the door, "this way."

"Yes – right just testing you."

The scene changed and Arthur found himself on the lake shore once more, in the distance he could hear chanting and he spun around just as Merlin broke through the last tree, Merlin who, wasted no time, throwing his arm out Merlin spoke.

"Onbregdan."

Aulfric's staff came souring into Merlin's hand then and Merlin ran before pointing the staff at Aulfric. "Swilte, gold beorp!" he screamed and as if by the magic it was a bolt of light shot from the staff hitting Aulfric and with a high pitched squeal that had Arthur covering his ears he was gone.

Merlin whirled around and pointed the staff at Sophia then, repeating the process before running straight into the lake, Arthur followed then, stopping at the edge, watching as Merlin dove under coming up with his younger self in his arms.

The scene changed.

* * *

_A/N Sorry for the wait, and i wish i could respond to all your reviews right now but i'm exhuasted, it's like 1 something in the morning and i'm going to bed, i'll double up next update._


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